Drunken mother Tina Watson grabbed a seven-inch knife and crept up the stairs to where her son had taken refuge before chillingly calling out "Here's Johnny!"

The line from the horror movie The Shining was revealed to a crown court judge who was sentencing the 55-year-old mother for making threats to kill her teenage son.

Watson wiped away tears as she sat in the dock while the prosecutor recounted the day her 18-year-old son, fearing for his life, had called police to the family home in Reading.

The mother had quoted the line from Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror film The Shining while she held a "razor sharp" kitchen knife up to the bathroom door in her home, which her terrified husband and son were hiding behind.

She had followed her son upstairs with the knife after he had made a remark about her burning some food while cooking in the kitchen.

Sparing Watson jail, Judge Emma Nott conceded: "Mrs Watson poses a threat to her husband and son when in the grip of mental illness."

Prosecutor Kirsty Allman told how the mother had returned home on April 24 after attending her regular Alcoholics Anonymous group therapy session, when her husband Peter and son Charlie, 18, noticed instantly that she was clearly agitated and suspected she had been drinking.

The prosecuter told how soon after Watson arrived home, her husband went to sleep, due to his late-night work shifts and Mrs Watson started to cook her dinner.

The court heard how Charlie argued with his mother about letting the food burn, as well as finding a litre bottle of cider hidden in her handbag.

The judge was told that the confrontation was the first sign of the horror about to unfold at the family home on Shilling Road, Reading, when Mrs Watson said in aggressive manner to her son: "Remember, I'm an alcoholic bipolar mother."

Charlie left the kitchen to go to his room and his mother followed him, carrying upright a seven-inch kitchen knife.

The son described to Reading Crown Court in a victim impact statement that his mother's state was "demonic" and "possessed."

Charlie grabbed his mother's knife-wielding arm and attempted to push her away, the court heard, while screaming loudly for her to get out of his room in the hope of waking up his father so that he could help him.

The prosecutor told how, after a few minutes of Charlie's pleading, Mr Watson awoke and immediately pulled his wife away from her son, getting Charlie to hide in the bathroom.

Mr Watson then fought to get into the bathroom with Charlie and both of them wedged the door shut with their bodies to keep Mrs Watson outside.

Watson, after uttering the immortal "Here's Johnny" phrase from the Jack Nicholson movie, continued to shout various other threats to kill, the court heard.

A few minutes later, Charlie and Mr Watson heard the defendant on the phone to what they believed was her social worker, describing her tone as "calm and normal."

The two opened the bathroom door to look out and see what Mrs Watson was doing, only to find her still gripping the knife, Ms Allman said, prompting them to slam the bathroom door shut and call 999 for the police.

Charlie said in his statement that his mother broke down in tears after they told her the police had been called.

Officers arrived at the scene 10 minutes after the call and arrested Watson.

Defending, Lisa Stewart told Judge Nott: "This action is very out of character for Mrs Watson."

The judge then read Mrs Watson's statement to the police in which she stated that she believed "me and my husband shouldn't be together."

Both Mr Watson and Charlie told the court that they had withdrawn their statements about Mrs Watson, both claiming that they still loved her and did not want her to go to prison.

They maintained that she needed mental health and alcohol addiction support, not punishment.

The court heard that Watson had previous convictions and cautions over drink-driving and making malicious communications.

The judge heard that she had previously told the police she wanted to stab her husband while he was sleeping.

Whilst sentencing, Judge Nott said: "It seems that she struggles and when she struggles she drinks, which means she may cause harm.

"When you become under the influence of alcohol you become angry and you become violent," the judge told Watson.

"It is clear there have been ongoing problems within your family dynamic.

"Your son is a very confused young man.

"It can't be a happy or healthy environment for a young man to grow up in.

"Mrs Watson poses a threat to her husband and son when in the grip of mental illness."

Watson was sentenced to an 18-month community order, with the threat of re-sentencing if she failed to attend her mental health support group or re-offends.

She had admitted a charge of making threats to kill prior to the court sentencing.