A man hit his mother's partner with a carving fork in a furious outburst following his grandfather's funeral.

Joshua Reid launched the assault on his mother Gillian Farquharson and her partner Grant Swan when he returned from the funeral and was offered leftover takeaway food for dinner.

He first attacked his mother, which included dragging the 41-year-old back into the house when she tried to leave.

The 21-year-old then picked up a carving fork and threw it at his mother's partner, Mr Swan, 44, and it became embedded in his shoulder.

Ms Farquharson later told police she feared her son was going to kill her.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court on Thursday Reid's criminal career has included convictions for theft, carrying a knife, assault and robbery.

She said: "They had attended Ms Farquharson's father's funeral - the accused's grandfather - and the accused returned home. He was told he could have leftover takeaway to eat.

"He called his mother a liar and threw the food over the walls. He then said: 'You have two seconds to clean up that rice or you will get it.' He threw various items of crockery around.

"His mother tried to leave but as she walked out he followed her, seized her by the arm and pulled her into the house. He grabbed her by the neck and threw her on to the sofa."

Reid, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to two charges of assault to injury and one of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner committed on November 23 last year in Ladybank, Fife.

Ms Robertson added: "Mr Swan heard her screaming and shouting as he entered, then the accused began shouting and swearing and challenging Mr Swan to fight.

"Mr Swan tried to calm him but the accused threw a carving fork at him, embedding in his shoulder through his coat and hoodie.

"The complainers later spoke to police and his mother said she had been absolutely terrified and believed he would kill or stab her."

Defence solicitor David Bell said his client's bereavement contributed to his outburst.

He said: "[Reid] had taken alcohol for the first time in a long time and the effects of that combined with the event and the argument caused this.

"The death of his grandfather was a significant event for him. He reacted extremely badly to what happened.

"His first criminal offence was when he was 15, an offence prosecuted on indictment and for which he was given a custodial sentence, and he has a bad record since then."

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed Reid for eight months and ordered for him to be monitored in the community for four months after his release.

He told the accused: "There isn't any alternative to a custodial sentence.

"This was a serious matter involving the throwing of a carving fork that embedded in this man's body.

"Fortunately the injuries were not as serious as they could have been."