A BURY man who went to the home of someone he believed had stolen his car brandishing a lump hammer has been spared jail because of his previous good character.

Reece Jones turned up at a home on Peers Street in March last year.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard he came across a woman with a baby who was terrified by his conduct.

Prosecutor Lisa Boocock said: “She saw someone standing at the front door, and found it was this defendant. He had a lump hammer.

“The defendant got her partner on the telephone. He was swearing and demanding to know where the car was.”

She said the car had been returned the following day but the woman felt too scared to remain at the property.

She added: “The defendant was interviewed, he said his car was stolen. He said he did not have a hammer.

“He was interviewed three months later and shown footage. He said he was scared himself.”

She added that the woman had declined to make a further impact statement.

Jones, of Walshaw Road in Bury, confessed to affray and possession of an offensive weapon at an earlier date and appeared in court this week to be sentenced.

Defence counsel Michael Lea said: “He is a man of previous good character. He is full of genuine remorse and regret. He was frustrated at the police, he took the law into his own hands.

“He is hard working, he lost his employment as a result of the charges, he gained new employment in very difficult circumstances.”

Judge Maurice Greene said: “It is serious behaviour, she had a baby and felt she could no longer live at that house any more.”

“You are 33 years old, you work, you just do not seem the sort of person that goes around terrifying people with a baby in view.

“I can accept you were at the end of your tether. I accept you are remorseful for it.”

He gave Jones a six-month suspended prison sentence, with 150 hours of unpaid work and a 20 rehabilitation requirement days order.