A householder who intervened in a row between a man and his screaming girlfriend was threatened with a fence post, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Witnesses described Dale Hobbis as "deranged" as he held the piece of wood over Tracy Connelly's head and ordered her to get back into her home.

She was saying goodbye to friends outside her house on the Charford estate in Bromsgrove when an argument erupted in the street.

Hobbis was gripping his girlfriend by the neck and slapped her twice in the face, said Tim Sapwell, prosecuting.

Stephen Liddle, a friend of Miss Connelly's, grabbed Hobbis as he approached Miss Connelly and the pair fell to the ground.

Hobbis got up and walked off but returned ten minutes later returned armed with the post.

Hobbis, aged 37, of Crossley Walk, Bromsgrove, admitted two counts of affray and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was jailed for 16 months.

The violence flared in Austin Road on August 15 last year. Miss Connelly, whose 13-year-old son was with her, shouted at the defendant to leave his girlfriend alone.

Hobbis drew back his fist as if to hit Mr Liddle before he was grabbed round the throat. As the two men wrestled on the ground, onlookers joined in trying to pull them apart, said Mr Sapwell.

Hobbis told police he became angry after getting injured in the struggle. He was taking medication for paranoia and valium to calm him down. He had a record of 31 offences and was jailed for three and half years in 2000 for wounding with intent.

Michael Aspinall, defending, said he had been drinking heavily that night and a 20-year addiction to amphetamine had led to schizophrenic paranoia.

The road builder's life had been ruined by drugs, but he had begun therapy.

Recorder Barbara Carter said he had caused alarm to a woman who had remonstrated with him over his violence.

"Your loutish behaviour was fuelled by drink," she added. "Our communities have to put up with this sort of thing more and more, and it is totally unacceptable."