A DRUNK man made threats to kill a neighbour and his barking dog, break the man's leg into '27 pieces' and burn his house down.

Justin Fracasso, who had drunk between 10 and 15 pints, made the threats to his neighbour in Henwick Road, St John's, Worcester where he then lived.

The 47-year-old of Knight Street, Worcester admitted section four public order (threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence) and criminal damage following the incident on August 2 this year.

The Crown Prosecution Service had decided not to charge the defendant with the more serious offence of making threats to kill, the court heard.

The offences also placed him in breach of a suspended sentence (12 months suspended for 24 months) for affray and theft, imposed on May 11 last year.

Lisa Hancox, prosecuting, said the incident happened at around 2.20am on Friday, August 2 this year.

She said Fracasso swore at his his neighbour, Jeremy McCoig-Lees, and told him: "You grass. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to burn your house down. I'm going to kill your dog."

Fracasso was described as 'punching and kicking' his neighbour's fence before gripping one of the panels with both hands and pulling it off before walking into the complainant's garden and throwing 'stones or dirt' towards his window.

The defendant also threw a ladder across the garden and shouted 'I'm going to break your legs into 27 pieces!' and asked his neighbour if he was 'on the phone to police?'

When police arrived an officer described Fracasso as 'not being steady on his feet and clearly intoxicated'. Photographs were provided to the judge of the damaged fence panel.

In interview Francasso told officers he could not recall much of the incident and had consumed 10 to 15 pints and had not eaten anything. He has since moved out of the address and 'showed regret and remorse'. He told the court he now lived in Worcester city centre.

Fracasso accepted he had previously received a warning letter about his conduct towards the same neighbour which the judge said was an aggravating feature of the case.

The defendant has 15 convictions for 32 offences including section 20 (grievous bodily harm), racially aggravated public order, criminal damage and battery.

He received a suspended sentence for affray and theft last May following an incident at a house of multiple occupation in Windsor Road, Evesham on December 6, 2017.

The lock of the victim's room was broken and two men were described as 'coming flying through the door', one of them Fracasso. The victim was told to 'get his stuff and get out' and 'feared for his safety'. The two men followed him from the address, 'running behind him and shouting'. When searched by police Fracasso was found with a passport and a NatWest paying in book belonging to the complainant.

Sarah Cooper, for Fracasso, said he had made full and frank admissions to the police and pleaded guilty to the public order offence and criminal damage at the first opportunity in the magistrates court.

But for the breach of the the crown court suspended sentence order Fracasso would have been sentenced in the magistrates court. Miss Cooper said if this had been the case he would 'receive some form of community order, notwithstanding the disgraceful nature of the incident'. Miss Cooper explained that her client had had issues with the complainant's dog barking during the night.

She also said the probation service were already working very closely with him, referring to him as unwell and as having an addiction. However, she said: "He's now on an even keel."

Miss Cooper said her client had new accommodation and had never before had the benefit of an alcohol treatment programme. A probation officer confirmed Fracasso had received 57 appointments with the probation service and had shown a high level of compliance.

Judge Nicholas Cole said: "I would have had no hesitation in activating the sentence in part had it not been for the very helpful report of the probation officer. That report does you a great deal of credit."

He said the offences took place 'against the background of a long-standing issue with binge drinking', arguing that there was strong personal mitigation and a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. However, he told him if he had carried out his threats he would be 'facing a sentence running into very many years'.

Judge Cole sentenced Fracasso to two months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered him to complete an alcohol treatment requirement as and when directed by the probation service.

The judge further fined him £100 and imposed a five year restraining order which prevents Fracasso having any contact, either directly or indirectly, with Jeremy McCoig-Lees or from going within 100 metres of his home.