Drunken Jarrow yob assaulted grandmother after she refused him a cigarette

A drunken yob assaulted his own grandmother after she refused him a cigarette in the middle of the night. Daniel Gaunt returned to his gran's home after an evening of drinking and kept going into her bedroom to ask her for a cigarette. But after she refused - things turned violent.

Gaunt became angry and aggressive before grabbing his gran by the neck. The 21-year-old then told her he would "smash her face in". On Thursday, Gaunt, of Beech Street, Jarrow , appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for assault.



He had pleaded guilty to the offence. The court heard that Gaunt had been living with his grandmother for around two years, and on August 23 last year returned home drunk. Ian Cook, prosecuting, said his gran heard him "bumping into things and muttering to himself" and thought he'd fallen asleep.

However, he then walked into her bedroom. Mr Cook said: "He asked her for a cigarette and there was a discussion about him being drunk. He then returned around 15 minutes later for another cigarette and she told him to go away.

" When Gaunt returned again, his gran refused and went downstairs. But Gaunt followed and "became aggressive". Mr Cook added: "She began filming him so she could show him his behaviour the next day and there was a scuffle.

He then grabbed his grandmother by the neck for a couple of seconds and said 'I'm going to smash your face in', she told him she was going to call the police." In a victim statement, his gran said she felt she was "walking on egg shells" with him. The court heard Gaunt had 12 previous convictions for 22 offences.

In 2024, Gaunt poured turps in his mother's wine when she refused to let him stay the night. He also had a previous conviction for a carrying a machete in a Wilko store as he tried to steal aftershave. Elisha Marsay, defending, said Gaunt is still in contact with his gran and speaks with her daily.

She said he struggles emotionally and "struggles to asses social cues and gets angry easily". Judge Stephen Earl told Gaunt he "simply can't use violence to solve problems". He handed him a three month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay a £50 fine and £154 victim surcharge.

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