Giving a push to each of his parents when they refused him money led to a Falmouth man appearing before Truro magistrates, where he pleaded guilty to assaulting the couple.

He was Justin Uren, aged 35, of Hayman Way, Falmouth, who admitted assaulting Charles and Priscilla Uren on May 23.

Gail Hawkley, for the CPS, said the parents had had concerns about his mental health and joblessness and police had been called to the home he shared with them on three occasions because of his behaviour towards them.

On May 23 they were in their living room when he approached them and said: “Give me f*****g money”, looking at his mother's handbag on the floor. She picked it up to take it away from him and he pushed her over. Then he pushed his father, before his mother pushed their son out of the house.

He was later found by the police, hiding nearby. He told officers he loved his parents very much and always got on well with them. He was suffering from anxiety and stress and things had become heated that day, although he could not remember pushing them. He had previous convictions.

His solicitor Dieter Kehler said there were strong suggestions of mental disorders and learning disabilities and Uren had been getting help with a long-standing drug addiction.

The magistrates imposed a 100 hours unpaid work sentence and told Uren to pay £145 and £15 for damage which he also admitted causing to a neighbour's shed roof.