A MAN has been sentenced after bursting into his former partner's home armed with a kitchen knife while her two young children were in the property.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court Daniel Wheeldon, aged 28, of Harcles Drive, Ramsbottom was sentenced to a 15 month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to affray.

The court heard how Wheeldon, who has Aspergers Syndrome, visited his ex-partner, Natasha Williams, a mother-of-two with whom he had one child, at her home in Hillside Road on the morning of August 21, 2016.

Andrew Evans, prosecuting, told how Kalum Jones, Miss Williams' current boyfriend, answered the door and, in a cordial conversation in the kitchen Wheeldon told Mr Jones he wanted him to look Miss Williams properly.

But just after midnight Miss Williams and Mr Jones heard loud bangs at their door before it burst open and two men entered the house.

Mr Evans said that Miss Williams saw a hooded man, armed with a kitchen knife, whom she believed to be Wheeldon. A second masked man was heard to refer to him as Daniel.

Mr Jones fled the house, chased by the men, and was later found hiding under a car by police who described him as "freezing".

The court heard that no knife was ever recovered and the second man has not been found.

Mr Evans, said that "Miss Williams doesn't want any part in his [Wheeldon's] life again. The experience was terrible for her and impacted on her and her children."

He added that Mr Jones says the incident took a toll on his relationship with Natasha and his life.

Defending, Stuart Kaufman, said Wheeldon has mental health difficulties, difficulty speaking and can be taken advantage of.

Wheeldon's key worker, Anita Gale, added that, at the time of the offence, life had got on top of Wheeldon and he had become more vulnerable.

Sentencing Wheeldon, Judge Mark Savill said: "It was a short but deeply unpleasant experience, that could have ended in serious injury because when a knife is handled in a way such as this things can happen which lead to very serious consequences."

However, he recognised that the deterioration of Wheeldon's mental health had been strong personal mitigation

Judge Savill described the case as "wholly exceptional" and said that he hoped a suspended sentence would give Wheeldon an opportunity to improve.

A restraining order prevents Wheeldon from contacting his victim.