A SON who robbed his mum twice in one day, producing a knife during the second offence before also assaulting his sister, has been jailed for almost six years.
Despite being banned by a restraining order from approaching his mother, Cindy Nicholson, and entering her Salterbeck home, Jack Declan Nicholson paid two chilling visits in September 5 while under the influence of drugs.
During the first, 26-year-old Nicholson smiled at her before trying to snatch her handbag and, as his mother desperately tried to stop him, he punched her hard on the shoulder and then stamped on her mobile phone as she tried to call police.
Nicholson left with £60 his scared mum gave him, but returned an hour later and, much angrier, made another grab for the bag. He produced a six-inch knife which he held against her leg before lunging with the blade at his sister, Stacey, when she tried to prevent him stealing the bag he had taken possession of.
After police were called, Nicholson was arrested but kicked one officer and spat at another.
Ms Nicholson later told police she was “disgusted” by her son’s criminal conduct and, prosecutor Josh Bowker told the court: “The incidents were like being in a nightmare.”
Nicholson, of Fountains Avenue, Workington, admitted two robberies, an assault on his sister, two assaults on emergency workers, possessing cannabis and damaging property. He was also in breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed just days earlier for previous offending towards police.
Judge Nicholas Barker, who heard Nicholson was remorseful and had taken steps to address substance misuse, jailed him for five years and eight months. He was banned from contacting his mum indefinitely.
Speaking after the hearing at Carlisle Crown Court today (November 6), DC Linzi Wilkinson said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the people involved.
“We will not tolerate people such as Nicholson targeting others with violence or threats of violence. We also will not tolerate knife crime.
“We hope the sentence acts as a deterrent to anyone out there tempted to pick up a knife to carry out a crime.”
She added: “Fortunately in Cumbria, we do not have a specific knife crime culture and we continue to see a lower number of incidents than in other areas of the UK.
“But any use of knives as part of criminality will not be tolerated.”
