A MAN stormed into a house and attacked his dad with a claw hammer.

William Patterson also assaulted his brother, who was caught on the hand as the defendant made slashing motions with a kitchen knife.

In a prolonged incident at their flat in Formby Close, Blackburn, he threatened both saying, “I'm going to kill you two tonight.”

Patterson, 28, was yesterday jailed for 23 months by a judge at Preston Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault, plus two bail act offences.

The violence dated back to May last year.

Richard Archer, prosecuting, said the defendant had stormed through the front door displaying drunken and aggressive behaviour.

He initially picked up a claw hammer, then a three inch bladed kitchen knife and then a large saw.

His dad William senior went on to be hit three or four times with the hammer, his son telling him, “I want to kill you”.

He also struck him with a chair and told him, “Die, die. I hope you die of a heart attack”.

He told his 21-year-old brother Stephen: “If you say anything after I have killed him I'll kill you too”.

Patterson also began to punch his father.

The court heard a day or so later he tried to carry out a repeat performance and threatened to murder his father and brother.

Zoe Nield, defending, said: “This was plainly a very unpleasant incident. The defendant doesn't seek to minimise its seriousness.

“He is really at a loss to explain his motiviation for the offences, other than having consumed a large quantitity of alcohol.”

At the time, Patterson had already sought help because his drinking was out of control. He regretted both assaults.

His barrister said the bail offences resulted from his being afraid to face up to his actions.

In passing sentence, the judge, Mr Justice Holroyde, told Patterson: “You entered the home already in an aggressive mood and in my judgment, looking for trouble.

“You have then embarked on a course of conduct which wasn't the work of a few minutes, but prolonged over a significant and frightening period of time.”