A drunken dad showed up at his ex-wife's door wielding a machete and racially abused her partner.
Lee Halford had been drinking when he rang up his former partner at 10pm to complain about not having enough contact with his children.
Roughly 10 minutes after the phone call, the 42-year-old turned up at the Kidsgrove address holding a machete, Stoke-on-Trent Live reports.
Prosecutor Ekwall Tiwana explained to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that the victim contacted police at 10.30pm on May 16, saying that his girlfriend's ex-husband had arrived at the home armed with the weapon.
Mr Tiwana said: "The victim was in bed with his partner at 10pm when the telephone rang. It was the defendant.
"The victim took the phone and said, 'You can't be ringing here at this time'. The defendant said, 'Are you trying to stop me seeing my kids? I will be there in five minutes'.
"The victim formed the impression the defendant was drunk.
"Ten to 15 minutes later the defendant arrived. The victim ran to the front door. Looking through frosted glass he could see the defendant holding a half foot machete in a leather sheath. The defendant said, 'Open the door. Let me in'.
"The victim went in the living room. He saw the defendant take it out of the sheath and strike it on the window.
"The victim was frightened and made a 999 call. He got everybody upstairs. But he remained downstairs and ensured the defendant did not enter the house.
"The defendant shouted, 'Get out here you black c***'. The victim, who is a black man, was upset.
"The defendant drove right up to the front door. He was about to ram the house through the front living room window. He was visibly drunk. He eventually drove away. The police attended and noticed him driving on the A34.
He was arrested and provided a reading of 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than twice the legal limit of 35."
The defendant was banned from driving for 22 months at an earlier hearing.
Halford, of Parkhouse Road East, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence and possession of a machete in public.
Jason Holt, mitigating, said the defendant would be suitable for an alcohol treatment requirement. He said Halford worked on the railways for 20 years but lost his job through medical reasons. He now lives in a static caravan at his father's haulage firm's yard.
Judge Paul Glenn adjourned the case until February 11 so a medical report can be prepared on the defendant. He said: "It is time that you demonstrate that you have put this behaviour behind you and it is not going to be repeated, and you are dealing with your issues."
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