Inverness trial hears mother thought son was ‘hell bent’ on killing her
Words from beyond the grave were read to a jury which described a 78-year-old mother's terrifying and brutal attack by her son she believed was trying to murder her.
Thomasina McAskill, known as "Chrissy", survived the onslaught of punches and kicks by 52-year-old Bruce Davis but she died in April 2024 and was unable to give evidence herself at the High Court in Inverness.
However evidence in statements and comments made to police were delivered by several police officers who spoke to the wheelchair-bound pensioner.
• Inverness man denies trying to kill his own wheelchair-bound mother
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She was able to tell police officers minutes after the assault on New Year's Day 2023 that it was her son who inflicted the blows which left her covered in blood and bruises. She added he was "hell bent" on killing her.
She suffered fractures of her jaw, knee, ankle, leg and ribs as she lay helpless on the floor of her council house in Smithton Villas as her son battered her with fists, feet and a table leg, she recalled.
Ms McAskill pleaded with police officers who had been called by concerned neighbours to come in to the house.
Two constables said they saw Davis through the window of the locked terraced house with his arm around his mother's neck.
Davis still had blood on his hands after releasing his chokehold when he went to let the police in. Ms McAskill told them "he hit me" and pointed to her son.
The jury heard that Davis shouted back: "Somebody has phoned the police because they think I have assaulted you."
Ms McAskill replied: "And rightly so because you have."
Davis was taken away and PC Hannah Walton, when questioned by advocate depute Shahid Latif, told the court: "She said ‘he's been punching and kicking me. I hurt everywhere. I always thought I was safe with him, but not any more.’”
PC Rhianne Sutherland was also present as the injured woman spoke. She said: "She told me that her son smashed her head on the floor several times and he tried to strangle her."
Ms McAskill also spoke to paramedic Lesley Sharpe, who had been called to the scene. She said: "Chrissy said her son had lost it and assaulted her."
In hospital some days later, Ms McAskill gave a further detailed statement to DC Kate Finlayson.
During that, Ms McAskill said her son had drank a litre of vodka and she admitted that she had taken some gin, and was on medication including for her lung disorder COPD.
Ms McAskill said that Davis just stood up, threw her to the floor and started kicking her and hitting her with a broken table leg.
"I thought he was going to kill me. He seemed hell bent on it," DC Finlayson read from the statement. "He has never assaulted me before. I couldn't get away from him. I don't want him near me again. I am terrified of him."
Davis denies attempting to murder his mother, by punching and kicking her, throwing furniture at her and attempting to strangle her with her jumper.
The trial continues.
