A 21-YEAR-OLD wielding a meat cleaver escaped jail after threatening to drunkenly threatening to 'chop up' a couple and scaring their four children.

Burnley Crown Court heard Sohali Khan, of Hermitage Street in Rishton made the threats to a man while he was outside his home in Marsden Street, Accrington on February 28.

The court heard the victim was working on a quad bike for one of his children when Khan approached him asking to have a go on it.

Prosecuting, David Clarke said Khan had a bottle of vodka in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other and he was 'waving it around'.

After he was told by both the victim and his partner inside the house to leave the premises he threatened both of them using offensive language, the court heard.

Judge Simon Medland QC, sentencing Khan to a nine month sentence suspended for two years, said:"Fortunately nobody was injured.

"If this had been marginally different who knows what the injuries may have been."

A short time later, the victim visited a neighbour down the street to tell him about the incident, and Khan was in the home he visited.

Mr Clarke said the defendant was asking aggressively 'what the problem was' the could had, before the victim left.

The court heard Khan returned to the victim's house and was shouting outside while still waving the meat cleaver in his hand.

He was shouting to speak to the victim and at this point the children in the house, age between six and 12, 'were now crying' the court heard.

Mr Clarke said when he did answer the door Khan grabbed the victim and 'tried to pull him outside' before he eventually let go.

He then continued shouting 'come out here and I'll stab him' before passing the weapon on to a friend.

Mr Clarke, reading out the victim's statement, said: "This incident has made me feel insecure in my own home

"I'm scared but more scared for my and my partners children.

"I shouldn't have to feel this way in my own home."

Police came to the scene and arrested Khan, who was still 'shouting and screaming abuse' following the ordeal which lasted around 90 minutes in total.

Defending, Isobel Thomas said he was heavily intoxicated at the time and has stopped drinking since.

She said: "He was heavily intoxicated at the time and cannot remember anything that took place.

"He is ashamed of how he behaved and he never wants to behave like that again."

However the court heard Khan has still been taking cannabis and has shown no intention of stopping taking cannabis.

Khan's father, mother and brother were in court and Judge Medland asked his father to stand up and speak about his son's case.

His father said: "He is sorry for what he's done.

"Drink and drugs, I think it's the in thing these days.

"I keep telling him to stay away from people doing wrong.

"I have a couple of properties which I'm working on and I'm trying to get him in to that."

Khan pleaded guilty to affray, possessing an offensive weapon, and assault and was also given 25 days of rehabilitation work and 150 hours unpaid work to be completed within 12 months.