A “SELFISH and vile” drug addict stole her husband and sons’ belongings to fund her “entrenched” habits.

Angela Kingston has been jailed for three counts of coercive control on a family relationship, along with assault, stalking and causing unnecessary suffering to a child.

Her husband and two sons told how she would steal and sell their belongings for drug money, including loans meant for Christmas presents.

The 43-year-old of Rochford Garden Way, Rochford has been addicted to drugs for the best part of 20 years - but upon meeting her husband in 2005 he tried to quell her offending, as she previously committed low level thefts to pay for her habit.

However, in the following years her addiction would return and her offences began again.

At Basildon Crown Court on Monday she was jailed for two years.

Prosecuting, Adrian Fleming told the court that Kingston would regularly steal her husband and sons’ items, taking them to pawn brokers to sell them on so she had money for drugs.

Mr Fleming said things came to a head on March 7 last year when a row broke out between husband and wife.

He said: “That morning the two sons and parents were in the house and an argument began between him and her, overheard by the two boys.

“It culminated in the defendant assaulting her husband targeting his lower back where he previously had disk surgery.

“He collapsed and gasped for breath. He hit his chest on a coffee table on the way down.

“The younger son demanded to know what she had done. She responded by assaulting her son, hitting to the face, neck and shoulder areas.”

READ MORE: Husband and sons share the abuse suffered by controlling and drug addicted mum

The boy suffered minor injuries. Kingston then went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife and threatened to kill all three people.

Kingston tried to flee the home, picking up her son’s Xbox, and when he said she couldn’t have it, she hit him in the chest. She was arrested soon after.

When released on bail, she would send messages and visited the family home despite being prohibited.

On May 10 last year, Kingston was staying in a garage near the home, which she managed to set fire to. Her husband, who had tried to get her home to feed her, ended up being assaulted again by Kingston.

Mitigating, Lucy Sweetland said Kingston had genuine remorse, adding; “She is constantly thinking about her family and what she can do to make it up to them.”

Judge Samantha Cohen said domestic violence is perpetrated by women as well as men.

She told Kingston she had a “selfish and vile sense of entitlement” and did not have regard to her victims.