A FURIOUS "neighbour from hell" threatened to kill a couple and their children and hurled a hammer through their window – over claims they were making too much noise.
Grimsby Crown Court heard James Miles, 23, had "completely lost the plot" when he embarked on the drink-fuelled rampage on Farebrother Street.
Michael Rawlinson, prosecuting, said at the time of the attack Miles was living next door to Heath Heelas, his wife Angela and their children.
He became enraged after what he told the court were repeated requests for them to keep the noise down went unheeded.
He started kicking the door and told Mr Heelas: "I'll kill you," before throwing punches at him and grabbing him by his clothes.
He warned Mr Heelas: "I'll kill you and I'll kill your kids. I have had enough."
Mr Heelas pushed him over a small wall but Miles later hurled a hammer through a window, showering Mr Heelas and his wife with glass.
Miles snarled: "I'll kill you. I'll kill you all."
He hit the glass five or six times and yelled: "I'm not scared. I'm going to have you."
He was extremely aggressive and was "out of control", said Mr Rawlinson.
Miles, who no longer lives in the area, admitted making threats to kill, possessing a claw hammer as an offensive weapon, using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and damaging a window on August 2.
He claimed he had previously been round four or five times to ask them to keep the noise down.
Stuart Lody, mitigating, said no actual violence was used and Miles had no previous convictions.
"It must have been terrifying for the poor inhabitants of that house," said Mr Lody.
"He is sorry. This was an isolated, albeit deeply frightening, incident."
Judge David Tremberg told Miles: "You lost all sense of proportion and proper control. You completely lost the plot.
"You made vile and repeated threats to kill him and his wife."
The incident was "ugly, unpleasant and terrifying", said Judge Tremberg.
Miles, who had been in custody, was given a 20-month suspended prison sentence, a two-year supervision order and an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the family or entering their property.
He would be moving to live with his mother in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, the court heard.
The Heelas family said they did not wish to comment and simply wished to put the issue behind them.
Crime news for Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire
