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A son raped and murdered his own MOTHER during a chilling torture session in her bedroom, a court has heard.

Alexander McDonald was previously described as ‘laid-back and gentle’ but jurors were told he killed his mother by stabbing and strangling her after getting into a state of "sexual excitement”.

Restaurant worker McDonald, 27, denies murdering his 57-year-old mother Catherine but admits manslaugther.

Exeter Crown Court heard he got drunk during a wine tasting session at work and then snorted cocaine before returning to his mother's home in Norton Fitzwarren near Taunton, Somerset, late one night last September.

The jury heard he exchanged some sexualised texts during the small hours of the morning and prosecutor Simon Laws QC said only child McDonald was "in a state of sexual excitement".

Mr Laws said the victim, who worked as a carer for elderly people, wore ear plugs in bed to help her sleep - but she was still wearing them when her body was found.

(Image: Avon and Somerset)

He said: "The evidence suggests she was attacked while she was in bed asleep.

"It was a surprise attack.

"She stood no chance against her 27 year old son who is well over six feet tall.

"He used at least three and in all probability four weapons against her.

"Catherine McDonald died as a result of being stabbed and strangled."

He said a kitchen knife was found in a bathroom sink which had been used to stab her twice in the chest which 'had penetrated right through her body'.

He also strangled her with an electric power cable which was still wrapped about her neck like ligature when she was discovered.

Mr Laws said there were also non fatal wounds.

He told the court McDonald had used knitting needles to stab her in the neck and one was still in place, and a pathologist said she was still alive when this happened.

There were scratches and bruises on her face, body, arms, legs and neck as she struggled for survival in the attack.

Mr Laws said on her neck there were also small cuts which had been caused by a pair of nail scissors used to poke and prod her neck.

He told the jury McDonald used the scissors to "force her to submit to a sexual assault' and Mr Laws said he raped her.

A condom was found and DNA was discovered on the victim.

He said afterwards he fetched a knife from the kitchen to stab his mother and strangle her with the cable.

The court was told McDonald tried briefly to clear up the scene before he fled in his mother's Smart car taking his passport and emptying her purse.

But he later crashed the car, flipping it over near Tiverton, Devon, and he was later arrested by police who then went on to discover his mother had been murdered.

(Image: PA)

At one point he texted an ex girlfriend to say that he would either be dead soon or in jail.

Mr Laws said: "He knew perfectly well what he had done."

He said virtually nothing in police interviews and officers said he appeared 'quite nonchalant'.

Other people said he was 'laid back and gentle'.

When he was told about the rape of his mother, he said that was 'a bit of a shock to him'.

Mr Laws said McDonald had admitted manslaughter but the prosecution say this was murder and say being drunk or drugged does not hide the intent to kill or cause really serious harm.

"He was acting in a purposeful and deliberate manner.

"He has no one else to blame for the state he was in."

McDonald denies murder and his trial continues.