A SPURNED man burst into his former partner’s home and attacked a male visitor with a curved saw, a court was told.

Kyle Hepple thrust the pole saw three times in the direction of the other man, who was in the kitchen of the house in Ferryhill with the defendant’s ex-partner.

But Durham Crown Court heard that despite the “full force” of the blows, he caused no serious injury to the victim, who suffered a laceration above an eye, while he was also struck on the top of the arm and back, with the final blow damaging the fridge.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said the noise of the sudden attack, shortly before 1am on November 21, last year, woke the victim’s brother, who was sleeping in another room.

He came through to the kitchen and Hepple was forced out of the house, but in subsequent hours he sent a text message stating he wished he had, “stabbed him to death, like I was going to.”

Following his arrest at 2.15pm that day he made denials, but appearing at court, via video link from Durham Prison, Hepple, 25, of Darlington Road, Ferryhill, admitted aggravated burglary.

Among 12 previous offences is a conviction for inflicting grievous bodily harm, by throwing a glass in a woman’s face, for which he was jailed for 20 months in 2013.

The court heard his three-year relationship with his now ex-partner ended three-and-as-half months before the attack.

Stephen Hamill, mitigating, said the latest offences were the culmination of drug-related mental health issues, which the defendant has taken steps to address while on remand in custody.

But he added that Hepple is now ashamed of his actions.

Imposing an eight-year prison sentence, Recorder Keir Monteith QC said: “It must have been utterly terrifying for people in that house.

“There appears to have been a background of jealousy and it could have caused a lot worse injury, but fortunately it didn’t.”

A restraining order forbids Hepple from contacting either his ex-partner or the victim, without limit of time.