Millionaire businesswoman Rachel Tudor throttled her 75-year-old mother

Rachel Tudor, aged 49, a director of Advantage Chemicals Ltd of Spring Lane South, Malvern, attacked her mum Janet Tudor in the home the family were sharing on October last year, magistrates heard.

Tudor, a stud manager, of Chapel Farm, Chapel Lane, Redmarley, denied assaulting her mother but was found guilty after a two-day trial.

The magistrates heard that although Tudor had been left a £4million business by her partner when he died of a heart attack in 2014, she had cashflow problems because she was asset-rich but cash poor.

Her parents, Robert and Janet, had loaned her £280,000 in August 2018 when they sold their house as part of a downsizing plan.

They then went to live with their 48-year-old daughter until the smaller home they had bought had been renovated, Janet Tudor told the court on the first day of the trial on Monday.

The defendant assured her parents that the loan would be repaid within four to six weeks, the court heard – but nothing was forthcoming.

Eventually Tudor repaid them £124,000 and on the day of the alleged assault gave her parents a cheque for the balance and ‘confronted them,’ said the prosecution.

In evidence, Janet Tudor said: “I came downstairs after I heard Robert and Rachael having an argument and she started shouting and screaming at me.

“She said ‘You’ve had your money now - get out and give me your key.’ I told her that she would get what she deserved.

“My daughter then flew at me. It was utter mayhem. She put both her hands around my throat. She was trying to get the house key from my husband and her arms were flailing all over the place.”

Mr Tudor, in evidence, said: “Rachael bought a property at auction but she had no funds to pay for it so we lent her the money.

“We sold our property to downsize and went to live with my daughter while it was being renovated.”

On the afternoon of the incident he had gone downstairs to help his granddaughter with a horsebox, he said.

“Rachael thrust a cheque for £150,000 at me and told me and my wife to get out. She demanded the key and I refused, keeping it in my right hand,” said Mr Tudor.

“She lunged at me and grabbed my hand – she tried to bite my hand but I moved it away. Then she grabbed my wife, who was behind me, around the neck with both hands. I couldn’t believe what was happening. My wife fell to the floor and I ushered my wife out of the kitchen door.”

At that point in his evidence Mr Tudor broke down and burst into tears in the witness box. His granddaughter, who was sitting in the public gallery at the back of the court, ran across and comforted him as the magistrates rose and retired for a short break.

The magistrates heard that Janet Tudor suffered reddening to the neck and an arm injury and was taken to Cheltenham General Hospital after the assault.

When Tudor gave evidence in her own defence, prosecuting barrister Matthew McCabe suggested to her: “During the incident your mother said to you that you would get what you deserve and you lost it and took hold of her with both hands by the throat?”

Tudor replied: “That did not happen.”

In answer to questions put by defence lawyer Judith Kelly, Tudor said: “My mother reached over my father and punched me in the face, drawing blood from a split lip.

“I had given them a cheque and after my mother hit me I just wanted them out of my home.”

Tudor denied grabbing her mother by the throat and told the court that all she wanted was her house keys back and for her parents to leave.

“I did not want them back after my mother hit me,” she said.

“My mother shouted ‘Let me at her, Bob, I’m going to kill her’ but my father restrained her and they walked away to their vehicle outside the property.”

She added “There was a lot of jealousy from some of my friends and from my mother and father about my inheritance.”

The defence lawyer told the court in her final speech: “Never before, in all my experience, have I seen such vitriolic hatred by a father of his own daughter.”

The magistrates found Tudor guilty of assault and they imposed a conditional discharge for 18 months.

They also imposed a restraining order prohibiting Tudor from contacting her parents for two years.

Tudor was also ordered to pay £1,500 prosecution costs.

Companies House records show that Tudor is a director of Advantage Chemicals Ltd of Spring Lane South, Malvern, and also of R.Tudor Holdings Ltd, registered at her home address. As well as being listed as an active director of both companies her occupation is given as ‘stud manager.’