TWO cases of mistaken identity led a Polish man to assault an Ellesmere Port resident and terrify a mum-of-five at their own homes.

Chester Magistrates Court heard on Thursday David Okoniewski, 24, of Stanney Oaks, had been celebrating at a family reunion on January 6 when his brother and his mum's partner had left with the family's £2,000 savings.

Tipped off by his brother's girlfriend they had most likely gone to an address in Westminster Road to give the money to a drug dealer, Okoniewski – fuelled by drink – went there with the intention of recollecting the money from the dealer.

But Okoniewski knocked on the doors of neighbouring residents Richard Edwards and Caroline Ainsworth – neither of whom knew about any deals – and left both so traumatised they are now each looking to move away from the area.

Magistrates jailed Okoniewski – who pleaded guilty on the day his trial was due to start – for 18 weeks.

Rob Youds, prosecuting, said Mr Edwards lived at a flat in Westminster Road and felt the person who lived above was frequently in trouble with the police.

On the evening of January 6, he went back to his flat and was about to put his key in when he felt someone behind him breathing on his neck.

It was Okoniewski, who was increasingly irate and kept saying "I want my £2,000 back", but Mr Edwards had never seen him before.

Okoniewski punched Mr Edwards to the face, leaving him with a black eye, adding "you know what that is for, you don't pay up, you are going to get more."

He then got his lighter out, singed Mr Edwards's door, and said: "If you don't pay I will come back and torch this place with you in it."

Okoniewski then went to Caroline Ainsworth's door and tried to barge in.

Ms Ainsworth said she had her five-year-old and one-year old with her at the time and it was "alarming". He had one foot wedged in the door and said: "My brother stole £2,000 from my mother and I need to get in."

She called for her Dobermann dog to bark at him and she called the police.

In the victim impact statements, Mr Edwards said he was certain it was a case of mistaken identity and since the assault he had completed an application to find a new address, something which he felt was frustrating as he had lived there since 2008, while Ms Ainsworth said she was looking for a new address as she couldn't live in a place where "angry strangers think it acceptable to force their way into my house".

Chris Johnson, defending, said Okoniewski could not recall the events of that night after drinking, but he felt "desperate". His mother's partner and brother had taken away all the cash following an argument and what had started as a family reunion turned very sour.

He had "no intention of behaving this way again".

Okoniewski was guilty on one charge of criminal damage, two of assault and one of violence to secure entry to a premises.

As well as the 18-week prison sentence, Okoniewski must pay £200 compensation each to Mr Edwards and Ms Ainsworth and must not contact either of them for two years.

He must also not enter Westminster Road, Ellesmere Port for the next two years.