A TEENAGER dragged his grandmother by the hair to force her to hand over £20.

Findlay Trigwell went to see June Townsend in Crawley because he felt she owed him for pocket money and his birthday.

The 18-year-old first grabbed the vulnerable 85-year-old by the mouth, then pulled her hair in the bedroom and said: “I will smash your face in.”

He trashed the living room at her bungalow and shouted: “You need to die, I will jump on your grave.”

Hove Crown Court was told that the demanding teenager had left Ms Townsend, who raised him, unable to afford to pay for her own shopping and bills.

Recorder Mark Van Der Zwart said it was a “disgusting” incident, and told him he was lucky he was not charged with a more serious offence such as robbery.

Instead Trigwell, of Northgate in Crawley, admitted assault and criminal damage.

Gabby Henty, prosecuting, said police were called to the bungalow in March last year.

She said: “He went into her bedroom and dragged her by the mouth, shouting ‘I will smash your face in’.

“Then he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the width of the double bed. Ms Townsend managed to get a £20 note out to try to stop the assault.

“He told her ‘that will do for now’.”

Ms Henty said Ms Townsend had raised Trigwell after he had suffered physical abuse at the hands of his father. She regularly gave him sums for pocket money.

She said Trigwell took his grandmother’s Post Office bank card, and had expected money for his birthday.

The incident ended with her seeing her grandson sprayed by police and handcuffed after kicking over her coffee table.

Jonathan Reuben, defending, said Trigwell has grown up in care with his grandmother, who has been more of a mother figure to him.

“He is disgusted with himself, and accepted that he lost it,” Mr Reuben said.

The teenager has had problems with anger management, but has started to turn his life around since the incident.

The judge said: “You could have been charged with robbery.

“The image of your own grandmother being dragged across her bedroom while you demanded money is appalling.

“She is someone who you should have shown the greatest care and respect.”

He said he was concerned about why Trigwell had

“suddenly offended in this way”, but said he had to follow sentencing guidelines, rather than send him to prison.

Trigwell must complete 30 rehabilitation activity days in the next year.