Hannah Maguire

Instead of drawing fruit, he covered his canvas in bleeding figures and everyone was quite unnerved.

I shouldn't laugh, it's horrible, but it just reads like it's not real.

His behaviour grew increasingly paranoid, violent and aggressive.

And at the age of 25, Tony was hospitalised and officially diagnosed with schizophrenia.

To make matters worse, clinic staff noted that Barbara was backing up Tony's delusions, especially those where he thought he was a messianic figure being spoken to by God.

Barbara discharged Tony from hospital and said that she would give him the medication they had prescribed, but other than that she could handle him on her own.

there wasn't much anyone else could do.

Since Tony's absent father, Brooks, refused to pay for private treatment due to his stubborn belief that psychiatrists were amoral, Barbara took Tony home with her, insisting to everyone that he was on the mend, and she was far more capable of taking care of her son than anyone else.

But even she didn't quite understand the task she had in her hands.

Everyone was utterly bamboozled by Barbara and Tony's toxic relationship.

And I think secretly enjoying watching it all.

They just got a proper receipt.

No one's stepping in, are they?

No.

While such violent episodes were growing increasingly frequent...

including an incident where Tony jabbed a pen in his mum's eye, paradoxically they seemed more devoted to each other than ever.

When they moved to London together in the summer of 72, Barbara put on a brave face and insisted to friends that things were looking up for her and Tony.

But the bubble burst in late July, with an incident so public and so harrowing, it almost cost Barbara her life.

In a manic rage, Tony dragged his mother out of the townhouse by her hair and tried to push her into oncoming traffic.

She clung desperately to the gate, which Tony slammed on her hand multiple times, breaking her thumb in three places.