A THUG battered his pensioner mum with a snooker cue in a brutal murder bid.

Alan Troy attacked the frail 69-year-old at her home in Kilbirnie, after she refused to give him money to pay off his debts.

Troy left his stricken mum soaked in blood as he then escaped in the OAP's car.

But the 47-year-old was soon snared by police and told officers he wished he had not hurt his mum.

His victim required surgery after suffering a string of injuries to her head and hands after what her own son did.

A judge heard yesterday (Tuesday) how the pensioner – who also uses a walking frame to get about - now does not feel safe in her own home.

Troy is now behind bars after he was locked up for six years and eight months following his guilty plea to attempted murder.

Describing the case, Lady Rae told the thug: “This is the first time I have seen something like this.”

Troy refused to look at his mum sitting in the public benches as he was lead handcuffed to the cells.

The attack occurred after Troy turned up at his mum's home on the morning of July 21 this year.

He demanded cash from the OAP claiming, if he did not re-pay a debt, he would be assaulted.

Prosecutor Allan Nicol told the High Court in Glasgow: “His mother told him that she had no money to give him – particularly as she had recently given him money he had requested.”

Raging Troy then grabbed a nearby snooker cue and turned on his elderly mum.

He battered her repeatedly on the head and hands causing her to slump to the floor.

Mr Nicol went on: “After that he told her to say that she had fallen. He gave her towels to wrap around her head which was now bleeding profusely.”

Troy then sped off in the OAP's car while an injured  She managed to dial 999.

But, the court heard the thug was caught later that night driving the vehicle in Irvine.

A piece of a snooker cue with her blood on it was discovered in the back.

Troy later told police that he had assaulted his mum and had hit her “with the first thing that came to hand”.

He went on to claim he “wished” he had not done it.

The court was told she suffered extensive swelling and deep cuts to her head after being attacked.

The pensioner also had bruising and fractures to both her hands. The victim required a wire to be inserted to straighten them out.

She spent four weeks in hospital with medics stating she was lucky not have suffered skull or brain damage.

But, Mr Nicol added the injuries were “potentially life threatening” and have left her permanently scarred.

The court was told she had been “fiercely independent”, but now requires help following her ordeal.

She has also been left “scared” in her own home and suffers from depression.

Lady Rae said the jail-term would have been 10 years, but for the guilty plea.

The judge told Troy: “I don't know if you realise what you have done.

“You thought you were going to be assaulted – but your response was to brutally assault your own mum.

“A 69 year-old woman who can no longer use her own hands. This is the first time I have seen something like this.

“The pictures (of the woman's injuries) are horrific.”