A SON attacked his mum, leaving her with a punctured lung and broken ribs, in a ‘shameful’ assault.

Lorraine Scott was struck in the back, near her kidneys, by her son James Simpson, 37, following an argument. She spent five days in hospital being treated for her injuries.

Blackburn magistrates heard that on March 20, her three adult sons had been drinking and chatting at her home in Maricourt Avenue, Intack. Her other two sons left the house and Simpson remained to chat to his mother, a grandma who is in her sixties.

Prosecuter David Macro, said they began talking about religion. Out of the blue, Simpson said something to his mother and ran upstairs. He rushed back down after his mother accidentally stood on the dog’s paws, causing the animal to howl.

He went on to punch his mother in the back with a single heavy blow. She was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital, where she found it difficult to breathe and was given an oxygen mask.

She sent a letter to the court, saying she had an understanding of her son’s background and that he needed professional help.

Defence barrister Philip Curran said: “He wrongly thought his mother had kicked the dog, which he was very attached to. The defen-dant acknowledges this was a very shameful incident and is full of remorse and shame for what he did.

“It was a single punch and his mother developed unfort-unate complications.”

Simpson, of Rothesay Road, Shadsworth, Blackburn was given a suspended jail sentence at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to grevious bodily harm.

His mother had a punc-tured lung and a chest drain was inserted, with fractured ribs suspected as the cause.

Simpson had previous convictions which included offences of violence.

Simpson was given 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, with two years’ supervision. He was told he would be on an alcohol treatment requirement for six months.

Judge Philip Sycamore told him: “On any view this was a shameful incident in which much more serious injuries could have been caused. I am only just persuaded that the public interest would be better served by imposing a suspended prison sentence.”