TWO Ellesmere Port men who got involved in an "ugly" dispute between families have been sentenced.

Phillip Shone, 45, pleaded guilty to using a piece of wood as an offensive weapon, damaging a house's front door and windows and smashing the windows and windscreen of a car, following a malicious telephone call.

Co-defendant Dylan Shone, 22, pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of affray, but admitted threatening behaviour in the same incident, which happened on January 4, 2019.

Prosecuting at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday, June 23, Dafydd Roberts said there had been a dispute over childcare responsibilities over the new year period.

Phillip Shone, of Cannon Street, rang one of the victims involved in the incident, threatening him that Scousers would "rape and murder him".

The victim hung up but was contacted by Phillip Shone again, who said: "I am coming for you."

At that point, both Phillip and Dylan Shone were outside the house where two of the phone call victim's relatives were.

Phillip Shone smashed the windscreen and windows of a Hyundai parked at the home and damaged the front door so it was cracked.

Mr Roberts told the court Phillip Shone used a piece of wood to throw through the window.

As the victims contacted police, they heard threats from outside including: "Come outside, I am going to kill you" and "I am going to stab you up."

The court heard Phillip Shone had 23 previous convictions for 46 offences, while Dylan Shone, of Fleet Street, had no previous convictions.

Brian Treadwell, defending Phillip Shone, said the family issues had been resolved and Phillip Shone was ashamed for his actions.

He had made huge progress on his existing community order and was in regular contact with probation.

He was medically vulnerable, with hand and back problems necessitating the use of crutches, and was diagnosed with depression and paranoia.

Myles Wilson, defending Dylan Shone, said the defendant accepted he was shouting threats, and was embarrassed and naive when speaking to probation on accepting responsibility for his actions which had initially led him to say he had done nothing wrong.

He had no previous convictions and was working a full-time job in the construction industry.

Judge Patrick Thompson, sentencing Phillip Shone, said: "This was an ugly incident", adding the victim's relatives, who had nothing to do with the dispute, must have found the incident "frightening".

However, the judge stepped back from an immediate prison term, saying the report by Phillip Shone's offender manager was one of the most positive and encouraging he had seen in his 30 years working in law.

Phillip Shone had "made every effort" since being on the community order to turn his life around.

He was handed a 15-month prison term, suspended for two years, and placed on a new two-year community order to include at least 30 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Sentencing Dylan Shone, Judge Thompson accepted that the defendant's work commitments ruled him out of unpaid work or a curfew, and he had faced significant legal costs as a result of the case.

As a result, Dylan Shone was handed a 12-month conditional discharge.

Both defendants were also placed on a five-year restraining order preventing them from any form of contact with one of the victims, and must not go anywhere on that victim's Ellesmere Port street.