Man sentenced for fatal attack on his mother

A man has been given a life sentence with a minimum term of nine years and four months for assaulting his mother, leaving her with fatal injuries.

Judy Constant, 59, died alone at home in Holloway, north London, after Darren Constant attacked her on 3 July 2018.

The court heard that, at the time, he was enraged by his failed attempts to persuade his ex-girlfriend to return.

The 39-year-old was sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC said that Ms Constant's death came after a "history of violence and abuse" from her son.

In the days before, Constant used 40 different numbers to try and contact his ex-partner Ivana Bilicova, the court heard. He had physically assaulted her as well as several other former partners.

When his attempts to contact Ms Bilicova failed, he "took his frustration out on the only person available - his mother", prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said.

The court heard that Ms Bilicova called the police to Ms Constant's flat after becoming concerned that she was being assaulted.

She had received a call from Ms Constant that evening, and heard her telling her son: "Darren, don't do that, don't do this to me."

However, when the police arrived at the property, she refused to go to hospital, and said her injuries were the result of falling down the stairs, Mr Emlyn Jones said.

She was found dead by her ex-partner the following evening.

A post-mortem examination concluded that her cause of death was "complex and multi-factorial". The blunt injuries to her head, face and abdomen played a significant part in her death, it found.

In mitigation, Bernard Richmond KC said Constant was "ashamed" of his actions, and had been in a "dark and difficult place" at the time due to alcohol and steroid use.

Before changing his plea to guilty on the first day of his trial, Constant had claimed his mother's injuries were the result of self-harm.

In a victim statement to the court, Jane Duarte said her sister's life had been "a misery" because of Constant.

Another sister, Janick Bhavon-Vatikiotis, said that Ms Constant had "protected Darren until her last breath" despite the "misery she suffered at his hands".

Sentencing, Judge Mark Lucraft KC said that "no sentence the court can pass could ever reflect the depth of grief suffered by Judy's sisters, her wider family or friends".