A drunken sibling repaid his pregnant sister’s welcome, by providing a roof over his head, by attacking her and smashing up furnishings at her home.

Durham Crown Court heard that Kyle Yarrow’s angry outburst culminated in him threatening her with an imitation air weapon, which she believed he would use.

The 27-year-old defendant reacted angrily after his sister came home to find him drunk, with a stranger in the dining room of her Shildon home, in mid-afternoon on Sunday, April 28.

Ian West, prosecuting, said when she agreed that he could stay at her home some months earlier it was on condition that he did not bring strangers to the property.

His sister had also agreed to pay a bond on further accommodation for Yarrow to move into when he left her home.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Mr West said on discovering her brother had a guest with him, in breach of the house rules, his sister was, “not best pleased” and told him so.

Yarrow reacted angrily and his sister threatened to withdraw the bond on his scheduled next accommodation.

But he then punched her bedroom door, and he also damaged an Xbox, while threatening to assault her.

A scuffle followed in which Yarrow’s sister stumbled backwards before he went downstairs and turned his attention to crockery and other items in the kitchen, causing an estimated £650 worth of damage.

When Yarrow reappeared upstairs, he was carrying an airgun-like weapon, which Mr West described as being the size of a rolling pin.

Yarrow pointed it in his sister’s direction, threatening to shoot, which she feared he would do and so she called for the police.

The defendant did not finish there, however, as he smashed other furnishings, including the TV set and threatened to damage his sister’s car.

When police arrived at the house he ran off but was chased and caught and was found to be in possession of cannabis.

The weapon was recovered and was said to be like a long-barrelled air pistol, powered by a gas canister.

Mr West said it was not clear if it was in a usable state, but it was not loaded.

When interviewed Yarrow’s basic responses were denials.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Mr West said the Crown was seeking a restraining order to protect Yarrow’s sister from him.

The court heard the incident left her suffering, “severe distress and anxiety” and she was, "extremely fearful" of someone for whom she had provided accommodation for some months.

Yarrow, of no fixed abode, appeared at the court via video link from nearby Durham Prison.

He previously admitted charges of possessing a firearm with intent to cause a fear of violence, damaging property, assault by beating, escape from lawful custody and possession of cannabis.

(Image: The Northern Echo) Annelise Haugstad, in mitigation, said the weapon was not loaded and the defendant had no intention to cause any harm with it, while his sister dd not even mention it when police arrived.

Miss Haugstad added that the incident was, in its entirety, of a relatively short duration.

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Judge Geoffrey Marson KC said the unpleasant incident was aggravated by the fact that Yarrow was intoxicated and the victim, his own sister, was in her own home at the time and was pregnant.

Imposing a total 22-month concurrent prison sentence, the judge also issued a five-year restraining order prohibiting Yarrow from contacting or approaching his sister.

A deprivation order was also made for the recovered air weapon.