A MAN who threatened to burn his partner’s house down while she was inside it with their children has appeared in court.

Danial Howe of Adamson Street, Shildon, pleaded guilty at Peterlee Magistrates' Court to common assault and threatening to destroy or damage property.

Prosecutor Vickie Wilson said that the 24-year-old was verbally and physically abusive towards his partner during an argument at her home on August 8.

He left the house but soon returned carrying a metal bar which he used to hit a living room window.

Reading from the victim’s statement, Mrs Wilson said: “The glass did not break, he went to the back door and kicked it.

“Then he said ‘I am going to burn this f***ing house down with you and the kids in it’.”

Mrs Wilson said the victim told police she felt scared about the threat and would not put it past Howe to carry it out.

She added: “Obviously this is a very nasty offence.”

In mitigation, the court heard that Howe accepted the seriousness of the case and a pre-sentence report was requested.

Magistrates agreed they needed to know more about Howe before sentencing and the case was adjourned to September 24.