An AYR man carried out a savage attack on his doting parents - after he was asked to turn the music down in their living room.

Christopher Rutherford launched in to such a frenzied attack he left his mother with a fractured pelvis and head wound that needed stapled shut.

He also attacked his father, leaving him scarred for life, and set upon one of their neighbours when the Good Samaritan tried to bring the violence to an end as Mrs Rutherford sought help.

Rutherford was listening to music when his mother, Sarah Rutherford, and father, Alan Rutherford, returned to their home in Hillfoot Crescent from a day out in Edinburgh.

Mrs Rutherford asked her son to turn the music down so she could heard the television while watching a show in another room.

But her son lashed out, attacking her, attacking his dad when he came to her aid, and then visiting more violence upon his mum and a neighbour after she fled the property seeking help.

The details emerged this week when Rutherford, 37, appeared in the dock at Ayr Sheriff Court over the case.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Kim McGregor explained: “The witness Sarah Rutherford asked the accused to turn down the music to allow her to watch the television in the dining room.

“The accused stood up and kicked her to the stomach.

“She was able to anticipate this assault and was able to back away, meaning he made only minimal contact.

“She shouted her husband and informed him she had been hit.

“She was in fear of the accused and left the living room.”

Rutherford followed after her, kicking her twice in the stomach and causing her to fall to the floor, striking her head off the wooden floor in the process.

Alan Rutherford had rushed to his wife’s aid and grabbed his son by the hands to restrain him.

But his son rained punches on his dad’s head, causing him to fall to the ground and also hit his head off the wooden floor.

Mrs Rutherford, who witnessed the attack on her husband, managed to get to her feet, but was bleeding heavily from a head wound.

She ran to her bedroom to try and phone the police, but noticed the line was dead, and then realised her mobile phone was dead when she tried to use it.

When she returned to the kitchen she saw her son straddling her husband, raining blows on his head as he lay on the ground.

She ran outside, to the home of friends and neighbours Andrew and Dorothy Semple.

But her son followed after her and continued to attack her, dragging her 15 feet back towards her home along a gravel path, leaving her with a broken pelvis.

Mr Semple then emerged from his home and tried to bring the violence to an end, but Rutherford threw a number of punches at him.

Rutherford ran off and was traced later, after returning to his parents’ detached bungalow, which is thought to be worth around £250,000, and banging on the door.

And, when cautioned and charged, he replied: “I went mental and punched f*** out my dad because I hate the c***.

“Yes there was an incident, I hit them both.”

Sentence on Rutherford, who had never been convicted of committing any offences until last year, was adjourned until later this month for background reports to be prepared.

Rutherford, who is remanded in custody over the attacks, could be caged for as long as five years over the case.

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