MARTIN John Le Moine, 31, of Lindisfarne Avenue, Higher Croft, Blackburn, was bound over in £100 to keep the peace for six months when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates and admitted a breach of the peace.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said Latrice Palmer, his ex-girlfriend, and her eight-year-old son, lived at Le Moine's house as lodgers.

There was an argument during which Le Moine lost his temper.

He took it out on the boy and when Miss Palmer put herself between them he started to shout and scream at her. Michael Blacklidge, defending, said Le Moine had worked a ten-hour shift and went to bed only to be woken by a loud crash.

"He went to investigate and you have heard a flavour of what happened next," said Mr Blacklidge.

"He accepts he became a little heated and his behaviour was not of the best."