A PONTYPOOL man who committed a “savage” attack on his own mother was detained under the Mental Health Act.

Matthew Richards, 26, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting grievous bodily harm on his mother, Rita Richards, on September 22 last year.

Ieuan Morris, prosecuting, told the court that Richards carried out a “savage sustained attack” on his mother, punching and kicking her and using a table lamp to assault her.

She had a fractured left wrist, broken bones and multiple bruising to her body and stayed in hospital for a week.

Mr Morris said that Richards was first seen by a doctor at the age of 12 and he spent three years in a hospital in Newcastle.

Following that period his mother thought he was better and bought him a house in Afon Llwyd Terrace, Pontnewynydd, to live in.

She visited the house last September and found the house to be in an “appalling state” and the new television she had bought him was missing.

Mr Morris said Richards got off the settee and immediately began thumping and kicking her.

She fell on the floor and rolled in a ball to protect herself and believes he hit her with the base of a lamp.

She managed to get out of the house and called the police.

Police found Ms Richards covered in blood, and graffiti on the bedroom wall with the words “saturn” and “devil”

in marker pen.

The court heard Richards had previous convictions for assaulting a police officer and for assaulting a man in Pontypool with a hammer along with two others.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Richards has schizophrenia.

Stephen Dent, defending, said Richards does not accept he is mentally ill and wanted to leave hospital and serve his sentence in prison.

Mr Dent said Richards wanted to apologise to his mother for the pain she has suffered at his hands.

Judge Philip Richards ordered that Richards remains in hospital in the interests of Richards’ safety and that of the public.

He also made a restriction order without limit.