Alcoholic mother sentenced for assaulting her husband and teenage daughter in Northamptonshire after '20 years of issues'

The two attacks in December, 2018, and March this year were the result of 20 years of issues within the Daventry family 'imploding', Northampton Magistrates' Court heard yesterday (Wednesday, November 27).

The 15-year-old girl was throttled by her mum over an argument about opening a Christmas present early before seeing her walk towards a knife block shouting 'I'm going to kill her'.

While the husband was left with a cut and swelling after a fight with his wife - broken up by their 11-year-old son - having been accused of having an affair.

Defence barrister Stuart Jeffery said: "This is one of the saddest cases the court has ever had to deal with.

"It covers an implosion of family relationships between a husband and wife and a mother and her children.

"There are no witnesses but what you have included in criminal proceedings is the lid coming off after 20 years of issues.

"The court has heard about a history of domestic violence but relationships are two-way streets.

"The court needs to understand there's an awful lot going here not just the two incidents of the defendant assaulting her husband and eldest daughter."

After 25 years of being together, 11 of which married, the husband and wife's relationship had broken down as he often worked away and she turned to alcohol to cope, the court heard.

The 11-year-old son told police his mum would drink two-to-three bottles of wine, gin or whiskey a day, while the father said it was like living with two different people.

They would regularly argue when he returned late and she was drunk, being accused of having an affair.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, nor can her family, sobbed throughout the court hearing as she listened to details of the assaults.

She was given a 24-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work, rehabilitation requirements and a restraining order having previously been found guilty at the same court.