Teen locked up for trapping his grandmother in toilet in Ulverston

Jack Daniel Frederick Beale, 19, was sentenced to eight weeks in a youth offenders' institution for an assault on Paula Whittall while he was staying with her in Ulverston on July 3.

Beale appeared at Furness Magistrates' Court via video link from Preston Prison and changed his previous not guilty plea to one of guilty of assault by beating.

Prosecutor Mr Lee Dacre said: "This is a domestic violence incident. The defendant was staying with his grandmother after being released from prison on tag to serve his sentence in the community.

"The defendant became aggressive and threw a training shoe which hit one side of his grandmother's head."

Mr Dacre said it did not cause an injury. The prosecutor then said that when the victim went to leave the toilet Beale had placed a chair against the door and she could not get out.

Beale also threatened that he would make her "eat a chair" and told her that he had scissors.

Mr Dacre said: "She was concerned about the comment about the scissors.

"She told the officers she did not want the defendant to stay at her house."

Defending Beale, Mr Micheal Graham, said that on two occasions Beale's grandmother had visited him in custody.

Mr Graham said: "They have chatted through their differences.

"He has agreed to get counselling and he wants to continue the relationship (with his grandmother) on release from custody."

Mr Graham said that Beale has ADHD which has not been fully addressed. The solicitor also said that the trainer thrown in the assault had struck but had caused no injury.

The magistrates imposed a 12 month exclusion banning Beale from Market Street, Ulverston.

Chairman of the magistrates, Mrs Anne Hawson, told Beale: "This was a sustained assault on your grandmother.

"It was a breach of trust and you treated her in a degrading way."

Beale, of no fixed abode, was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.