A FORMER Waterloo Road actor who fell from TV fame into a world of crime has been jailed for after attending at a house drunk and wielding a machete.

Craig Fitzpatrick starred in the BBC drama as bad boy Lewis Sneddon at the troubled fictional Rochdale school.

But after this the 34-year-old fell into a world of crime and was convicted of assaults, robberies and driving offences.

He appeared in Manchester Minshull Street Court to face sentence for taking a machete to the home of a family which he had a feud with.

He pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon and affray.

Fitzpatrick appeared on a video link from HMP Forest Bank, with the court hearing how he was facing period of isolation of 23 hours and 30 minutes each day due to ongoing efforts to contain the Covid pandemic.

Prosecutor Lisa Boocock said the incident took place on August 27 on Elton Street in Oldham at 2pm in the afternoon.

She said: "There was a considerable feud between the defendant and the family.

"The defendant attended with his cousin with weapons. A neighbour looked out to see a man wielding a machete. They called the police who arrived on the scene."

She added that both men had attended with 18-inch machetes and had been trying to get to a family member who was upstairs but were not able to get him.

She said Fitzpatrick, who was intoxicated, was forced out and he later smashed a glass window.

Ms Boocock added: "He attended at the police station on 7 September, he handed himself in, he provided a pre-prepared statement where he indicated he had been threatened and he had gone to the house and said he had been assaulted by the family."

David James, defending, said his client he had been given the chance to return to his acting career, which had been lost because of these offences.

He said: "He had been able to secure a part in a TV programme which was due to film in November. That has been removed from him."

He added his client, who had 27 convictions from 49 offences, had been making changes to his lifestyle including not drinking which he relapsed from on this day.

Judge Mark Ford said there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.

He said: "The weapons you had must on any view have caused a fear of really serious violence. You are not a stranger to these courts.

"I am aware you had a promising career as an actor, it is sad you have been unable to fulfill your potential."

He jailed Fitzpatrick, of Ashton Road in Oldham, for 18 months.