A MOTHER and son who traumatised a wheelchair-bound lung cancer patient in her own home were sentenced today, with the son locked up for two years.

Ashley Beacham, aged 21, of Duke Street, Blaenavon, appeared in the dock alongside his own mother Rachel Warren, aged 52, and a third defendant who cannot be named because he is only 15.

The three went to Riverside Drive in Blaenavon on March 1 because of a grudge Beacham had against 21-year-old Nadine Gwillym, the court heard.

Beacham, who had recently been released from prison after stabbing a former partner, threatened to kill Nadine’s 50-year-old mother Sharon Gwillym, who the court heard was “desperately ill” with cancer.

All three were found guilty after a “farce of a trial”, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

The jury previously heard that Beacham went to the Gwillym home after sending the daughter Nadine intimate Facebook messages the day before, despite the fact he was in a relationship with Becky Johnson at the time.

When Ms Johnson found out about this, Beacham decided to pay Nadine Gwillym a visit along with his mother and the younger defendant.

Warren banged on her bedroom window, while she was in bed with the curtains drawn.

Frightened, she went into her mother’s room and Mrs Gwillym, who can only walk a few steps at a time, then answered the door on her behalf.

Warren then dragged her into her living room and pushed her against the wall.

Beacham, who is 6ft 5in, then grabbed Mrs Gwillym by her collar and pulled her face towards him.

He raised a metal chair in the air and allegedly screamed, ‘If you [his mother Warren] don’t smash her, I will’.

Speaking about the Gwillyms, he then threatened to “kill the lot of you”.

Giving evidence, Mrs Gwillym said: “I couldn’t breathe, I was shaking. I was quite a mess. I’ll never forget his [Beacham’s] eyes, they were frightening.

“I told him that Nadine was at a friend’s house. She [Beacham’s mother] then shouted at him to get out of the house.”

Mrs Gwillym was too traumatised to stay in the house after this, even though it had been specially modified because of her disabilities.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “I live in fear and have felt my cancer deteriorating.”

Defending Beacham, Richard Ace said: “Thankfully, although the threats of violence were extreme there was no actual use of violence.”

Stephen Thomas, defending the teenager, said he was a “troubled young man” who misguidedly viewed Beacham as a role model.

Hywel Hughes, representing Rachael Warren, said she only went with her son to the address to try and “keep a lid” on events.

Addressing Beacham, Judge David Wynn Williams said: “Your mother became extremely anxious you might repeat the behaviour you have demonstrated in the past and do someone serious harm.

"That’s why your mother was there – to try and stop you. But she was also angry at Nadine Gwyllim for having sparked all this in the first place.

“The consequences are enormous. You have got your own mother into trouble and you have frightened someone so badly they have had to leave their home.”

He said Beacham had persuaded the other two defendants to go through a “farce of a trial” because he was already in trouble with the law.

Addressing Warren, he said: “It’s quite obvious you believe you bear a degree of responsibility for the way your son has turned out. But you need to understand he is now a grown man and has to accept responsibility for his own behaviour.

“The court is quite satisfied you are not a bad person”, he added.

Beacham had denied affray and making a threat to kill while Rachael Warren, of Market Street in Blaenavon, and the younger teenager denied affray relating to the same incident.

Beacham was given two years in prison and the teenager – who had already spent time in prison on remand - was given a curfew and a youth rehabilitation order.

Warren was told to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.