A man came home drunk, dragged his mother across her kitchen by the hair and then threatened to stab her.
Paul McLaughlin appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with assault and criminal damage.
On July 6th, 2017 McLaughlin came home from the pub after being drinking all day and attacked his mother Bridie at Uachtarach, Gortahork.
This sparked three days of offences carried out by McLaughlin against his family.
The following day he attacked his sister Mary McLaughlin’s car and smashed her windscreen after kicking it.
And the next day he was charged with threatening and abusive behaviour at his mother’s house and was abusive to Gardai when they arrived.
His mother had been left terrified by the initial incident after McLaughlin dragged her across her kitchen by her hair to a draw where knives were kept and told her he was going to stab her.
A family member intervened and prevented McLaughlin for going any further, the court heard.
The court heard that the accused, of Meenacung, Dunlewey, has 34 previous convictions and had served a three-year prison sentence for assault causing harm.
His solicitor, Mr Patsy Gallagher, said McLaughlin had an ongoing battle with both drink and drugs.
He had apologised to his mother and was now in telephone contact with her.
Judge Paul Kelly remanded the accused on continuing bail to December and ordered a community service and probation report.