THUGS broke into a Waltham Abbey house and attacked a mother and her son, a court heard.

Matthew Seymour and Anthony Antoniou, both 21, had attacked Charlie Rooney before following  him to his mum’s Tovey Close home, Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Thursday (July 26).

Seymour, of St Michael’s Road in Bournemouth, Dorset, assaulted Mr Rooney on March 11, kicking and punching him before London Cypriot Antoniou, of Windmill Road, Ealing, west London, arrived and kicked him while he was on the ground.

They then followed Mr Rooney to his mum’s house, breaking in with crowbars.

The two men punched him and kicked him in the head while he was on the floor, and injured his mum Danielle when she tried to intervene.

Marcus Crosskell, prosecuting, said: “Mr Rooney then tried to protect his mother who later required five stitches to a cut while Mr Rooney suffered cuts and bruises.”

Judge Rodger Hayward-Smith QC told the men: “This was a prolonged attack on Charlie Rooney in two separate incidents in two separate homes.

“No doubt drink played a major part.”

Both men were jailed for 11 months after admitting assaulting Mr Rooney and assault causing actual bodily harm on both victims.

Cheshunt Mercury