A VIOLENT thug who struck a woman with a hammer while threatening to torch her house has walked free from court.

Luke Wright armed himself with a claw hammer before confronting his victim following her dispute with his former partner over a disagreement over money.

The 25-year-old hit the woman’s elbow as she fended off his blow after he started ranting and raving at her in front of two of her children, Teesside Crown Court heard.

As the defendant attacked the woman he threatened to throw ammonia in her face and burn down her house on September 29, last year.

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said the attack had left the victim terrified to return home in case he followed through with the threat to set her home alight.

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She said: “The defendant approached them; he was angry; he was shouting; he was swearing – saying ‘you battered my missus, what the f***?’.

“He was shouting that he was ‘going to throw anomia at her face’ and he was directly aggressive towards her, not her partner or children.

“He then pulled a claw hammer out of his clothing and swung it towards her - she raised her arms to protect her head and it hit her elbow.

“The defendant threatened to burn her house and then he ran off.”

Wright, of Upper Oxford Street, Middlesbrough, admitted causing actual bodily harm but disputed using a hammer during the attack.

A Newton hearing took place at Teesside Magistrates’ Court to rule on the facts of the case and they came down in favour of the victim’s account, Miss Haigh added.

Tom Bennett, in mitigation, said his client understands that he is in ‘the last-chance saloon’ but urged the judge not to issue and immediate sentence.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Wright to ten months in custody, suspended for 18 months.

He said: “You pleaded guilty but you tried to excuse yourself by minimising what you had done and this was more serious than you were prepared to admit.

“The confrontation was in the street; against a woman; in front of her partner and two of her children; threats were made and were perceived to be real. So real that she wouldn’t go back to her own home initially.

“Clearly, it was just a threat, you didn’t carry out any of them and I suspect you never intended to.”

Wright was made subject to a five-year restraining order and ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

He was also ordered to perform 150 hours of unpaid work and attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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