AN Irvine man who shoved his 73-year-old mother against a cupboard was scolded by the sheriff.

Sheriff Iona McDonald warned Brian Gooding, of Annick Court, that no-one should assault their mother ‘no matter what she says to you’ when he appeared before her last Wednesday.

The forty seven-year-old Gooding, who court papers state also goes by the name Taylor, attended his mother’s home to help with some plumbing work on April 30, last year.

The court heard he wanted to check something online, but his mother told him to finish the housework first, at which point Gooding started shouting and swearing.

He then grabbed his mother and pushed her, causing her to fall against a cupboard. His frightened mother then phoned the police, however Gooding had left the address by the time they arrived.

He pled guilty to the charge of assault and of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

A not guilty plea to a third charge was accepted by the prosecutor.

His defence solicitor Alex Muir told the court his client accepts he should not have pushed her, adding that due to his disabilities he was unable to engage in unpaid work.

“He has long term health difficulties that go back to a head injury and has unfortunately developed diabetes. He looks a lot different and has lost three stone.”

Addressing the dock, Sheriff Iona McDonald told Gooding: “You’re pushing your mum, who’s 73. You don’t push your mum – no matter what she says to you.”

Rather than deal with the matter in a fine Sheriff McDonald deferred sentence until next month for a Criminal Justice Social Work Report and Restriction of Liberty Assessment.