A DISTRAUGHT father of four held a knife to the throat of a man he believed was having an affair with his estranged wife, a court heard.

Burnley Crown Court was told that Kevin Smith, 32, threatened to kill the mother of his children and said if he had not been arrested the same fate would have awaited her neighbour, Trevor Roberts. Smith was sentenced to 120 hours' community service.

Smith, of Como Avenue, Burnley, was committed for sentence by Burnley magistrates, after admitting affray in August.

Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, said Smith's wife and two of his children lived opposite Mr Roberts and he believed his estranged wife and Roberts were having an affair. Smith was at his wife's home and threatened to kill his wife in front of one of their sons.

About three quarters of an hour later, Smith went to Mr Roberts' home, asking to speak to him and produced a knife with a six-inch blade, which he held to Mr Roberts' throat. Police arrived and Smith said he would kill Mr Roberts.

Paul Hague, defending, said the Smiths, married for 14 years, had been separated for two, and each lived with two children.

The couple would stay at each other's home and Smith came across the letter from Mr Roberts, was upset and angry, went away to have a few pints and brooded over it.

He now accepted the relationship between Mr Roberts and his wife was innocent.

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