A drunken thug chased two 15-year-old boys down a street with an axe after a neighbourhood dispute turned nasty.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that, a few days before the incident on March 30, Lee Smith got into a row with the next door residents of Morningside Road, Norris Green, after shouting abuse at them through the party wall of the neighbouring properties.
Prosecuting, Michael Stephenson said 32-year-old Smith was subsequently seen by a neighbour going round to the property, and that he seemed to be under the influence of alcohol.
Mr Stephenson said Smith began "banging on the door repeatedly."
He added: "The door was opened by the 15-year-old son of the woman who lived there, who also had some friends at the address.
"The defendant tried to make peace over the incident a few days earlier, which was refused by the 15-year-old.
"He then came into the house uninvited, and on being told to get out, said 'I'll get a f-----g crew down here. You don't know who I am.'
"He then walked away threatening to break all their necks."
Mr Stephenson said Smith then returned to the house again, and on the second occasion vaulted over a low fence between the properties carrying "a large axe" in his hand.
Terrified, the 15-year-old boy and one of his friends ran down the street, pursued by Smith, who shouted: "Why are you running, you pussies?"
When police were called, they found Smith intoxicated and the axe in the kitchen of the address in Morningside Road - where Smith's partner and children lived - along with a small quantity of cannabis.
Mr Stephenson said Smith told officers he'd been using the axe to break up some furniture in the back yard, and "he'd forgotten he had it in his hand" when he went out to confront the next door neighbour.
Lionel Greig, defending, said Smith was "aware of the precarious position he found himself in" regarding the seriousness of the offence, adding: "He had the good grace to turn and go back home following the incident with the axe, and did not pursue it any further.
"There was a backdrop of issues between the two households. Thankfully no-one was injured.
"He knows he's behaved badly and his actions cannot be condoned. He wishes to apologise for all concerned."
Judge Rachel Smith told Smith, who pleaded guilty to one offence of threatening unlawful violence towards others: "You would have caused a significant and fearful reaction chasing two 15-year-olds down the road armed with an axe while clearly intoxicated."
She gave Smith a six-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to carry out 100 hours' unpaid work.
