Man jailed for gruesome Christmas murder of his own mother

A Middlesbrough man has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years and two months after being found guilty of the tortuous murder of his own mother. Tracey McPartland died after her son, Alexander McPartland, beat her to death over several hours just days before Christmas.

Tracey McPartland suffered horrendous injuries during the ordeal, including 29 fractures to her ribs, when her son kicked and stamped her to death. According to GazetteLive, the court heard that Alexander McPartland repeatedly beat his troubled 42-year-old mother in the past and had broken a number of restraining orders.

"He beat her to death over a period of several hours, on Tuesday December 20 and Wednesday December 21." Prosecutor Dafydd Enoch QC said. "Probably because of her general fragile state and her vulnerability, she simply took the beating and did not seek help. She probably could not have done even if she'd tried."

"She was rather like a child who is beaten. She simply didn't have the wherewithal to respond appropriately to what was being done to her."

She was pronounced dead in her home on 22 December. McPartland was sentenced to 20 years and two months minimum with the judge noting that it would be up to a parole board whether the 24-year-old would ever be released.

"Alexander McPartland had already served a number of sentences in prison for domestic abuse towards his mother when he inflicted one final act of violence upon her, which resulted in her death." Detective Chief Inspector Steve Young of Cleveland Police said in a statement to ITV news.

"Tracey McPartland suffered severe injuries as a result of the attack and died at home, just before Christmas last year. Alexander McPartland tried to claim that his mother had been attacked in the street in an attempt to cover up his actions and avoid prison.

"I welcome the sentence handed to Alexander McPartland today and praise the family of Tracey McPartland, who have had to endure a nightmare since her death." he added.