TWO hooded intruders turned up unexpectedly and barged their way into a house on a manhunt, a court heard.

Kristian Albert Hearne and Declan Carr entered the property, on Durham’s Sherburn Road Estate, demanding to see a named individual, on Sunday March 18.

Durham Crown Court heard that the four people present in the house, including the man in question and three women, retreated upstairs, where they barricaded themselves into a bedroom.

Hearne and Carr went looking for the man upstairs, while shouting threats that they would kill him.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said they tried to also barge their way into the bedroom where the fearful quartet were hiding, but were unable to force the door open.

The female householder shouted from the room that she was going to call for the police, and, when they heard that she appeared to be doing so, Hearne and Carr retreated downstairs and left the property, in Laurel Avenue.

Mr Baker said no-one was injured, and Hearne and Carr were later arrested.

Both were interviewed on allegations of causing an affray, threatening unlawful violence to another person, which both denied.

Hearne, 20, formerly of Hawthorn Crescent, Quarrington Hill, and Carr, 19, of Cuthbert Close, Gilesgate, Durham, each previously denied a charge of affray, but on the day their scheduled trial was set to start, none of the Crown witnesses turned up at court to give evidence.

Following further discussion between Mr Baker, and defence lawyers, Angus Taylor, for Hearne, and Graeme Cook, for Carr, the charges were put again to the defendants, who this time pleaded guilty on a basis presented to the prosecution.

Mr Baker said the Crown now consider this acceptable.

The court heard Carr has only one previous referral order, for affray, while the court was told after his arrest for this incident, Hearne was readmitted to custody as it was committed during the licence period for a previous offence of affray, assault and making threats with a weapon.

Mr Taylor told the court Hearne has remained in custody since, awaiting the outcome of the latest case.

Recorder Ray Singh passed a 12-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, on Hearne, whose address on release will be Scardale Way, Belmont, and eight months on Carr.

Both sentences were suspended for two years. Hearne will also be subject of a six-month 9pm to 6am curfew, while Carr’s curfew period will run for four months.