After weeks of people speculating that Tourettes Syndrome sufferer Pete Bennett has been exploited by Big Brother producers, Pete’s mum has spoken out in his defence.

Pete’s mum, Anne Stephenson, 46 said that Pete first developed the symdrome at the age of 14, and the bullying started immediately,

She told First magazine: “The paediatrician looked at him in horror. He was being bullied and someone had stuck a rubber up his nose.

“He was swearing constantly and pounding his chest with his fist. Suddenly I burst into tears. I tried to hold his hand and said ‘My little Pete, what’s wrong?’ It was as though he had been possessed.

“He was crying ‘Mum, what’s happening to me. I can’t stop it.’ It was awful.”

She said: “My blood went cold. I asked what it was and how long it would last. The doctor said ‘for the rest of his life’. I felt as though Pete had been killed. One minute he was a normal boy – the next his whole life had changed.”

Ms Stephenson, who was in the process of breaking up from Pete’s stepfather, said: “One day 400 children had been laughing and jeering at him. He has been through so much.

“One day we were out shopping and Pete had a huge spasm. He was thrashing about on the floor, punching himself and a huge crowd gathered round. They were saying he should be locked up.”

She said: “I’m angry when people say Pete shouldn’t be on the show – that it is in someway exploitative. It’s ridiculous. Do we want people with Tourette’s to be accepted or marginalised?”