A MAN has avoided jail after he attacked a house with a baseball bat as a young family were inside.

Barry Elms received a suspended prison term after he admitted hammering on a family’s door with a baseball bat on October 3.

The court heard Elms, 42, of All Saints Avenue, Colchester, knock-ed on the door of the house, where a couple and their nine-year-old child were inside.

When the mother answered the door, Elms asked for someone named John, before raising the baseball bat.

The woman managed to shut the door, but Elms continued to hammer on it with the bat and broke a window.

Meanwhile, the woman shouted at him to leave them alone and told him he had the wrong house.

The court heard Elms then went to another house where he threatened to use the bat again.

Anna Perera, mitigating, said Elms had admitted charges of affray, possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage at the first opportunity.

She said despite receiving criminal convictions in his youth, he had not offended for 17 years and had made good progress under previous court orders.

She added: “This is without doubt a serious matter, but he has shown he can comply with community orders.”

Recorder Jonathon Foy said: “This was a very serious offence and it was very frightening for the family who you attacked.

“In normal circumstances I would not hesitate to give you a long prison sentence, but I’m going to suspend that on balance.

“It seems to me you got off to a terrible start in life with criminal convictions for dishonesty, then you managed to put it all behind you for 17 years.

“It does show you can behave properly and comply with court orders.”

He sentenced Elms to nine months in prison, suspended for two years.

Elms was also ordered to carry out a 12-month supervision requirement, 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 in compensation to the family.