A FORMER soldier confronted his estranged wife when she drove up to her home with their children in the car.

Blackburn magistrates heard Philip Martin Snaith was shouting at his wife and banging on the car windows.

When she tried to drive off he blocked her way with a gate and then stood in front of the car with a large rock help above his head.

"She was terrified that he was going to throw it through the windscreen," said Tracy Yates, prosecuting.

Snaith, 52, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and breach of a non-molestation order. He was made subject to a community order for 18 months with 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £30 and ordered to pay £50 compensation, £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Mrs Yates said the victim had applied for the non-molestation order following the break down of the marriage.

She returned home at 4.10 pm on Friday and one of the children said his dad was there.

"She told the children to get back in the car and tried to drive away but he blocked the way with a gate," said Mrs Yates. "He told her to get in the house and talk to him or the children wouldn't have a father by that night."

Catherine Fell, defending, said Snaith had left the army in 2000 and had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He had been living in his car outside the former matrimonial home and using the facilities when his estranged wife wasn't there.

Miss Fell said Snaith accepted his mental health had deteriorated and shortly before the incident he had been hospitalised after taking an overdose.

"He had asked the victim if she would go and stay with her mother for the weekend because, following his release from hospital, he needed somewhere to stay to get his head sorted," said Mrs Fell. "She didn't acknowledge him and he accepts that he lost it."