A SPURNED lover who tried to strangle his ex-partner’s father after bursting into his home armed with a ten inch long kitchen knife has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Shaun Harrison, 24, blamed the victim for the break-up and after a drinking session on June 14 this year went to his home in Loftus, east Cleveland, with the knife – later claiming he intended to commit suicide there.

The man answered the door in the early hours of the morning which was when Harrison barged his way in, holding the knife in the air and threatening to kill him.

A scuffle ensued in which Harrison tried to headbutt the victim. The man’s wife, who was crying and hysterical, managed to disarm the defendant, but the attack continued.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said: “At one stage [he] tried to strangle [the victim]. In turn [the victim] was trying to restrain the defendant.”

Police arrived and arrested Harrison, who said he did not intend to kill his ex-partner’s father, but went there to frighten him.

The victim in a statement said the shock of Harrison bursting into his home had caused a great deal of trauma and it was only through good fortune that he was not seriously injured.

His wife said she no longer felt safe in the home they had lived in for 25 years. She said: “We have not done anything to deserve this. All we wanted was to protect our daughter from this animal.”

The court heard how Harrison’s ex was on holiday at the time of the incident, but had texted him saying she had “moved on”.

Uzma Khan, mitigating, said Harrison felt his partner was coerced into ending their relationship.

She said: “He is remorseful and accepts he put them in a dangerous situation. He has finally come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over.”

Recorder Angus Withington said he had made a conscious decision to arm himself with the knife and said it had been a quite terrifying ordeal for the occupants of the house.

He said: “The physical injuries [suffered] were relatively slight, but the emotional cost has been profound and long standing.”

Harrison, of St Helen’s Walk, Liverton Mines, east Cleveland, admitted causing actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon and making threats to kill and was jailed for a total of two and-a-half years.

He was also made subject to a restraining order.