The father of a three-month-old baby has been sent to prison after threatening to stab his neighbour and his neighbour’s children.

Ben Hilton, 29, was arrested at his home in Nolton Haven on June 10 after shouting threats to his neighbour, Mr Ian Davies.

“It was around 7.30 in the morning and Mr Davies was outside his home address,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates. “The defendant was outside too and shouted ‘I’ll end you.’”

Ms Baker went on to say that Hilton’s threats then turned even more vicious.

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“He said ‘I’m going to ‘*******stab you and your ******* children’ with the result that Mr Davies waited inside his vehicle until the defendant left.”

The offence was committed just 17 days after Hilton was given a suspended prison sentence for a similar offence of using threatening words and behaviour towards another, and of driving whilst over the legal drug limit.

Hilton, who pleaded guilty to the charge of using threatening and abusive words and behaviour when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates this week, was represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd.

The solicitor informed magistrates that his client was the father of a young baby who was born in June.

“The baby’s mother is terrified of the prospect of him going into custody because she doesn’t know how she’s going to cope without him,” he said.

At this point, Hilton became visibly distressed as he sat in the dock whilst his partner wept in the public gallery.

“She is dependant on him for assistance to raise the baby,” said Mr Lloyd.

As a result, Mr Lloyd urged district judge Mark Layton to show compassion towards the defendant and impose a curfew which would prevent him from leaving his home at certain times of the day or night.

However this request was overturned by Mr Layton.

“This is an extremely serious offence which crosses the custody threshold,” he said.

“You threatened to stab your neighbour as well as his children and you were in breach of a suspended prison sentence which was imposed 17 days previously for a very similar offence.”

Hilton was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody but will be released on licence after nine weeks.

He was ordered to pay £128 costs and £85 costs.