A 'CHANGED man' who shot a crossbow bolt at a Worcester house and brought drugs to court has been spared jail.

Scott Fewtrell is now a dad working 12 hours a day to support his family as a judge said he was 'just persuaded' to suspend a deferred prison sentence at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.

The 29-year-old of Chedworth Drive, Warndon, Worcester admitted possession of 23g of cannabis and 45 tablets oxymetholone (class C) with intent to supply.

Fewtrell brought the drugs into the dock when he appeared alongside remand prisoners on December 19, 2019. The prison value of the drugs was previously placed at £1,300.

The defendant had previously admitted conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon (the crossbow) following the attack on the home of Luke Bridger in Carlisle Road, Ronkswood on August 30, 2017. The bolt, shot at head height, damaged the door frame. His co-defendant, Tommy Lee Jauncey, shot a blank firing pistol at the house as a child cowered in fear during the same incident. Jauncey, 23, previously of St George's Walk, Worcester, had already been sentenced to nine years for conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine as well as conspiracy to cause ABH and possession of offensive weapons (a crossbow and a blank firing pistol) in December 2019.

Fewtrell was previously convicted of dangerous driving after he accelerated to more than 100mph and drove the wrong way down the A449 dual carriageway near Worcester on October 24, 2017.

Ekwall Tiwna, defending, said: "Financially, personally, emotionally - this defendant in my view has changed beyond all recognition."

A 'letter of remorse' from Fewtrell was read by the judge before he passed sentence. "He is now the father of a new baby and is responsible for three other children" said Mr Tiwana.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright told Fewtrell that the offences in August 2017 had been 'serious'. "For reasons I explained at the time I was just prepared to give you a chance to prove that you really had turned your life around" said the judge.

Judge Cartwright deferred a sixteen month prison sentence in January last year. He said Fewtrell had been doing what was required of him by the probation service before 'everything was overtaken by the coronavirus which meant that you couldn't do the work that you should have been doing through no fault of your own because it was all suspended'.

The judge said the most serious offences were now four years ago. "It seems that you have kept yourself out of trouble. You have a family. You're in work and working long hours doing hard work," he said.

Judge Cartwright sentenced him to two years in prison suspended for two years, ordered him to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 240 hours of unpaid work.

Fewtrell must also pay £500 costs and a victim surcharge.