Man hit mum and strangled sister for pouring vodka down sink

Andrew Doig and his sister were staying with their mother in Simpson Cross on October 30.

Prosecutor Nik Strobl told the court that although Doig “had been through difficult times” in his relationship with his mother, she would always offer him support and a place to stay.

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However, his mother told Doig to limit his drinking to no more than four cans a day. Despite this, she noticed he was “heavily intoxicated”, Mr Strobl said.

Doig’s mother found a bottle of vodka in his room, which she took to the kitchen and his sister poured down the sink.

Upon seeing this, Doig “lost his temper and became verbally abusive,” Mr Strobl said. Doig began pointing his finger at his 70-year-old mother – who was paralysed in one of her legs – and was “turning red” shouting at her.

Doig’s sister stepped in, saying: ‘She’s your mother. Pick on someone your own size.’

The defendant then turned his attention to his sister, being verbally abusive, pointing his finger in her face, and swinging punches at her – which all missed. Whilst he was doing this, his mother called the police.

Doig grabbed his sister by the throat and pushed her up against the kitchen cabinets.

“She said it went on for a long time,” he said.

Doig’s mother tried to intervene, which led to him throwing “several punches” which connected with her jaw, and he also spat at her.

As his mother again tried to call the police, Doig grabbed the phone by the wire and breaking it, before leaving the kitchen.  

He immediately came back in and grabbed his sister by the hair and dragged her in to the living room before climbing on top of her. She managed to kick him off, and he went to leave the house.

As police officers arrived at the house, they heard Doig’s sister yelling at him to get off, and as they reached the door Doig came outside from round the side of the house.

He claimed to the officers his sister attacked him after he had been asking for his keys to go home, and he demanded they arrested her.

When interviewed by the police, he claimed he was acting in self-defence.

Doig, 41, pleaded guilty to strangulation and assault by beating at Swansea Crown Court on June 24.

The court heard Doig had 28 previous convictions for 41 offences, including three convictions for violence.

Andrew Doig hit his mum and strangled his sister after they poured his vodka down the sink. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

He was also charged with burglary an address on Cowbridge Road East in the Canton area of Cardiff.

Mr Strobl said a woman woke up between 7.30am and 8am on February 22 to find Doig standing at the foot of her bed. When she confronted him he fled, and she found “a number of items” at her front door that the defendant had moved.

Doig, of Hazeldene Avenue, of the Brackla area of Bridgend, admitted the burglary at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on March 4.

“Mr Doig understands this is serious offending. It is unpleasant offending,” said Kathryn Lane, in mitigation.

“He does publicly wish for me to apologise to all of the victims in this case.”

Ms Lane said Doig had mental health issues and had issues with drug and alcohol misuse, but was now clean of both.

“He’s been positively engaging with the 12 Steps programme,” she said.

“The defendant did very much hope he could rekindle a relationship with his family.

“He realises he has abused that trust.”

Sentencing Doig, Judge Huw Rees said: “You do not need me to tell you Mr Doig that you only have one mother and you may only have one sister.”

He added that the burglary must have been a “most terrifying ordeal” for the victim.

Doig was sentenced to 12 months for strangulation and four months, running concurrently, for assault by beating. He will serve a further 27 months, running consecutively, for the burglary.  

His mother and sister were granted three-year restraining orders against him.