Bully jailed for harrassing and beating his mother while demanding cash

Sheffield Crown Court heard on November 9 how Valerijs Ruskulas, aged 27, formerly of Fitzwilliam Road, Eastwood, Rotherham, had been made subject to a Domestic Violence Protection Order in relation to his mother but three days later on February 12 he embarked on a campaign of harassment.

Richard Sheldon, prosecuting, said: “The defendant asked her for money. She refused. He became angry and started to demand money shouting and swearing at her.

“When she tried to get into her home the defendant slapped her around the back of the head on a number of occasions.”

Mr Sheldon added Ruskulas followed his mother into her home on Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham, and continued to demand money and threatened to set her car on fire and smash her house up.

Ruskulas punched his mother twice in her shoulders and upper arms and kicked her left leg, according to Mr Sheldon, and then threw the contents of a bottle of water into her face.

Mr Sheldon said as Ruskulas’s mother went outside he struck her around the legs with a two-foot long piece of wood and he fled after she called the police.

But Ruskulas returned banging on his mother’s door, making threats and demanding money.

Ruskulas told police he had asked for money but claimed he had only struck his mother once and later told the court he had thrown water over his mother to refresh her.

But Ruskulas returned on June 15 demanding money again and he prevented his mother from getting in her car and the following day he phoned and threatened her saying he would smash her windows and car, according to Mr Sheldon.

Mr Sheldon said Ruskulas phoned his mother urging her to get the police out of her home and he also sent abusive texts.

His mother stated: “This case is causing me so much stress. He swears at me and calls all the time. There is always something.”

Ruskulas, of no fixed abode, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to harassment and also admitted two bail breaches after he had twice failed to attend court hearings.

Stefan Fox, defending, said: “The sad state of affairs is that the lady who was the victim of this abuse is his own mother. She is the lady who brought him to this country to live permanently. He has no choice but to be genuinely ashamed of what he has done.”

Mr Fox added Ruskulas’ life had begun to deteriorate after a relationship had come to an end and he had lost his accommodation and he got involved with the wrong type of people.

Judge David Dixon told Ruskulas: “The simple reality is you, as a man, thought you could push and bully and effectively cajole your mum into doing what you wanted her to do.”

He sentenced Ruskulas to nine months and 14 days of custody and made him subject to a five-year restraining order to protect his mother.