AN angry dad from Bromsgrove threatened to stab someone with a hammer because he believed a woman had insulted his step-daughter at a wedding.

Alexander Scholes followed Sarah Cole to her home in Breakback Road, Bromsgrove, and snatched her car keys, refusing to give them back until she apologised to the girl.

When the woman's partner, Matthew Suckling, came outside, Scholes produced a claw hammer and threatened to 'stab' him with it.

The 44-year-old, of Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, admitted threatening Mr Suckling on September 6 last year when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Scholes was jailed for 18 weeks in 2013 for smashing a car windscreen in Droitwich with an axe, after he claimed the driver had cut him up.

Richard Davenport, prosecuting, said Ms Cole was followed by the defendant after she left her place of work in Domino’s takeaway.

With him was his step-son Cameron Smith, 22, who faces lesser public order charges after threatening to ‘head-butt’ Ms Cole.

Mr Davenport said: “He [Scholes] retrieved a hammer believed to have been in the boot of his car and was waving the hammer towards Mr Suckling, saying ‘I will stab you’."

Scholes drove off with the car keys in his teeth and Mr Suckling fell onto the grass verge.

He later left the keys with a neighbour so Ms Cole could get them back.

As well as the road rage incident in 2013, Scholes had two previous convictions for being in possession of a bladed article, both from 1995, although the blades were not used to threaten anyone.

The judge described Scholes as having ‘an appalling record’ with 45 convictions for 158 offences.

Gareth James, for Scholes, said Scholes was “overprotective of his family.”

The father-of-six was responsible for children, some with specific needs, and a carer for his partner.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said: “It was an ugly incident of public disorder at 10.30pm at night on the streets of Bromsgrove.”

He said the defendant had, by his own admission, been ‘in temper’.

Deciding an immediate custodial term would be unjust, Judge Juckes cited the defendant’s ‘onerous’ family obligations.

He sentenced him to six months in prison suspended for 18 months.

Scholes must complete 27 sessions of an anger management programme.

He will be placed on an electronically-monitored curfew between 10pm and 7am for the next four months.

Scholes must also make a £250 contribution towards costs which will be deducted from his benefits.