A Fraserburgh man has been jailed after assaulting his own mother with a pair of golf clubs and a glass vase.
David Buchan, 26, who changed club halfway through the vicious assault, also repeatedly punched his mum on the body.
Peterhead Sheriff Court was told Buchan had a “difficult” relationship with his victim, who has since died from unrelated causes.
The attack happeed an address on Buchan Road, Fraserburgh, on July 28 2023.
Fiscal depute Emma Peterson said Buchan had been sitting with his mum on a three-piece suite watching TV before an argument about her current boyfriend began.
“[Buchan] punched Christina Buchan to the face,” said Ms Peterson. “And she pushed him away from her and told him to ‘wise up’.
“He then struck her right thigh with a vase, making her fall in pain.
“He then repeatedly punched Christina Buchan to the head and body, before [a third party] phoned the police.
Holding golf club above his head
“They got up and [Buchan] grabbed a silver-headed golf club and she tried to walk past him to the front door.
“He hit Mrs Buchan on the head with the golf club and she fell to the ground.
“He selected a longer golf club and drove it down towards her body, striking her left elbow with the club.”
Mrs Buchan managed to leave the house, the court heard, but her son followed, still in possession of the club, “holding it above his head”.
Police arrived and traced Buchan at an address nearby, and Mrs Buchan was treated at Fraserburgh Hospital for a 4cm cut on her thigh which required to be glued shut, as well as cuts and swelling to her elbow.
Difficult relationship with mother
Buchan’s defence solicitor Stuart Flowerdew said his client had a difficult relationship with his mother and had been raised in foster care.
He told the court that when in care Buchan had shown academic promise, but when he returned to live with his mother and grandmother at the age of 17, he became embroiled in his own drug addiction.
Sheriff Craig Findlater said it was clear from his report that Buchan had an “extremely difficult and upsetting background”.
He added: “I also hear what was said on your behalf about the role your mother played in that difficult background.
“I see the positive aspects, in particular, the academic achievement that you had while under care.
“However, I also see the negative aspects. You have previously offended on a number of occasions and you have received custodial sentences in the past, albeit not for violent matters.
‘Very serious’ charges
“The nature of this offence however is very serious, and you have used three weapons in the course of the assault upon your mother to her severe injury and disfigurement.
“You use a vase to cause a large cut which appears to be the most serious injury, but you also selected two golf clubs, one of which you struck her on the head with and another which you struck her on the body with.
“Even for all the mitigatory factors, this is a serious matter.
“Only a custodial sentence is appropriate in this case.”
He sentenced Buchan, of Saltoun Square. Fraserburgh, to 22 months and two weeks imprisonment, backdated to July 8 when he was placed on remand.
Domestic abuse charges
Buchan was also appearing to be sentenced on a domestic abuse charge involving him repeatedly pushing a woman to the body and striking her head, all to her injury, in June this year.
Buchan admitted contacting the woman in breach of his bail and was jailed for six months for both offences, to be served concurrently with the jail term for assaulting his mother.
A non-harassment order was imposed preventing him from contacting the women for three years.
