Man admits throttling his mother

A MAN endangered his own mother's life by throttling her by the neck and stopping her from breathing, a court has heard.

John McGill, 37, had been arguing with his sister and when Mary McGill intervened he attacked her.

Fiscal depute Ruth Ross-Davie told the court McGill pushed his mother to the ground and "held a knife he had taken from a kitchen drawer against the chin area".

The fiscal said his sister had intervened and he had let go of his mother but a few seconds later pushed her back to the ground again and seized her by the neck. Ms Ross-Davie said: "He had hold of her by the neck for approximately three seconds during which time she was prevented from breathing, which was to the danger of her life."

McGill admitted assaulting Mrs McGill, who was then aged 58, on 10 February this year at the family home at Longstone Gardens, Edinburgh.

Sheriff Deidre MacNeill QC deferred sentence on McGill until next month. He was released on bail.