Management accountant Sadie Birch-Gavin and her family were terrified when machete-wielding Gareth Robins turned up at her home threatening to kill them, a court heard on Monday (July 9th). Mrs Birch-Gavin was left in shock. Her son, Miss Gwynne and their baby left the house and stayed in a hotel that night. They have not returned since.

Robins, 33, of Wallhouse road, Ross, went to her home in Newent with two other men and then produced the weapon from his back pocket, Gloucester crown court was told.

Robins pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed for 11 months. Lisa Hennessy, prosecuting, said that on November 6th last year Mrs Birch-Gavin saw Robins walking up her driveway. "There had been some difficulty between her family and that of the defendant ever since Emma Gwynne - the former partner of Mr Robbins' brother - had come to live with them.

"When she answered the door the defendant demanded to speak to her husband or Miss Gwynne. She told him they were upstairs. Robins said he had come over on his brother's behalf and wanted to 'to kill them.' "Robins then said 'You're dead' and pulled out a machete from his right back pocket. He pointed it at Mrs Birch-Gavin and said: 'Where are they now? I'm going to kill them.' He added 'You will all get this' while pointing the machete at her and he told her that she and her family would all have to leave Newent.

"He and the other two men continued to threaten and one of then said they would be back later to get Mrs Birch-Gavin's husband and son and would burn the house down.

Robins was arrested on November 7th and when asked if he had a black handled machete he said: 'What would I need that for? I'd just break her legs.' Mrs Hennessy said Robins had previous convictions including one for arson in 2003. "That was known to the people in this house and it would have added to their sense of fear," she said.

Jon Holmes, defending, said the argument was his brother's. Yet his brother, who had been in the group that night, had not been prosecuted. Robins had been singled out for prosecution because of his use of the machete, or axe, said Mr Holmes.

Judge William Hart told Robins the offence was too serious for anything other than immediate jail. He sentenced him to 11 months imprisonment.