During the fight Shaun Watson, 25, told his mother: "I have hit bigger men than you and they have gone down."

Despite the prolonged beating, Watson, of Merridale Street West, received a three-year conditional discharge.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said that Watson had been out drinking with his mother and girlfriend on April 28, 2014 and that the three of them had returned to his mother's home in Telford. Miss Lovegrove said a row had broken out between them about government conspiracy theories and the neighbours had called the police.

When officers arrived, the defendant's mother had told them everything was fine.

However once the police had left, Watson claimed he thought Barack Obama was an alien which made his mother laugh as she walked to the kitchen.

Magistrates heard that he grabbed her and punched her to the face before throwing her down on to the kitchen floor. Watson continued to choke and punch her and at one point grabbed her close to him and bit her nose.

Miss Lovegrove said Watson had grabbed a knife from the side and tried to harm himself and that his mother received scratches when she tried to retrieve it from him.

Watson had run from the house after the fight and called his mother the next day to apologise. She was left with a severe black eye, cuts and bruising.

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Miss Lovegrove said the victim hoped that she could continue a relationship with her son in the future.

The court was told Watson had denied the charge of assault by beating but had been found guilty after a trial on January 30 which he had not attended. Magistrates said their options for sentencing were limited by Watson's current position in custody. He was given three year conditional discharge and a victim surcharge of £60.

For Watson, Mr John McMillan said his client did not attend the trial because he did not want to lose his position as an enhanced prisoner at Dovegate prison.

"He loves his mum. This was something that was fuelled by drink," he said.