A MAN who had a drunken row with his girlfriend “took it out “ on his family on his return home, a court heard.

Karl Gray was heavily under the influence of both drink and drugs when he knocked at the house door in Ushaw Moor, near Durham, at 3.50am on December 2.

Durham Crown Court was told he began to row with his mother over a kebab, putting her in a head-lock and slapping her, before punching the door, causing damage.

Martin Towers, prosecuting, said young children sleeping at the house woke and were in distress.

Gray’s mother tried to calm him, without success, and he then brandished a knife, threatening to slash her.

His mother’s partner was dragged downstairs and Gray straddled him, punching him to the head several times, causing him to suffer a fractured cheek bone.

All those who had been in the property then ran out and locked Gray in the house until police arrived.

He was arrested despite struggling with officers, but by the time he was interviewed he had sobered up and apologised for his behaviour, saying he wished he could, “turn the clock back”.

Gray said he should have remained at his friend’s house and not gone back to the family home, as he, “took it out on the wrong people”, following his earlier row with his girlfriend.

Reading from her victim statement, Mr Towers said Gray’s mother stated her son could be, “\a lovely man”, but, the drink and drugs, “spoiled him”.

The 26-year-old defendant, formerly of Skippers Meadow, Ushaw Moor, but living more recently in Quarry House Gardens, East Rainton, admitted unlawful wounding, battery, affray and criminal damage.

He was said to have 18 convictions, featuring offences for violence and disorder, but until now has never served a prison sentence.

Yvonne Taylor, in mitigation, said Gray has been in custody since he turned up “worse for wear” for the original scheduled sentencing hearing, last month, which has helped him to “detox” and try to address his issues through services available in prison.

She said he has even begun to attend church in prison each Sunday, “something he never thought he would do.”

Jailing him for 18 months, Recorder Patrick Palmer told Gray: “I bear in mind the efforts you seem to be making to sort your life out.

“But, I can’t ignore the fact that you did fracture the cheek of this man while under the influence of drink and drugs.”