A DRUNKEN row which exploded into violence ended when a man plunged a kitchen knife through his girlfriend’s parents front door.

Luke Haslam attacked his partner in her east Cleveland home before she ran to her parents nearby home for her own safety.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 26-year-old followed her down Errington Road, Brotton, carrying a ten-inch kitchen knife.

Zoe Pratt’s parents, Paul and Kendra, were inside their own home when Haslam started hammering on the door to try and gain entry before stabbing the kitchen knife through the PVC door.

Sue Hirst, prosecuting, said: “He (Mr Pratt) could feel it being pushed from outside, he eventually managed to shut the door and lock it – he then saw the blade of the knife come through the door.”

The court heard how the police were called and when they searched Zoe Pratt’s home they found three bags of cocaine belonging to the defendant and the kitchen knife.

Jonathan Walker, in mitigation, said there was not a lot to say following the events on December 29, 2019.

He added: “The least said, the sooner mended.”

Haslam, of Dundas Street, New Marske, admitted affray and possession of a bladed article following a Goodyear hearing, which enables a defendant to ask the judge for an indication of the maximum sentence if they were to plead guilty.

Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced Haslam to an 18-month community order and ordered to attend 40 days rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He said: “You went round to the home of Kendra and Paul Pratt in order to speak to your then partner Zoe. You had had a lot to drink and so had she, and not to put too fine a point on it – you lost it.

“You got into a furious row, particularly with Paul Pratt, and at one point you produced a knife about ten-inches long and you were waving that around. Nobody was hurt.

“When you were arrested, you were found to be in possession of a small quantity of cocaine – whether that had anything to do with I don’t know.”

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