A MAN threatened to torch his parents house and shoot his dad after becoming addicted to drugs.

Sam Henning, 31, became addicted to drugs and quit his top job at Airbus before storming the home of his parents in Latchford, demanding money and attacking his retired stepmother.

But he was spared jail at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday and is set to start a near £40,000 a year job soon.

The court was told the incident took place in March this year when he went into the home of his parents on Wash Lane.

He was 'angry and intoxicated' and the court heard his nan – who also lived in the property and was present – had already received three 'aggressive and threatening' phone calls from her grandson, in which he stated he would burn down the house and 'had a hidden gun and bullets'.

Once inside, he threatened to 'torch the house' and said he had a gun in his car – adding: "Don't think I won't use it."

Henning, from Treuddyn in North Wales, then punched a television, smashed a mirror and snapped a phone in half before being arrested.

In a statement read out to the court, the step mum described how she feared that he would 'come back to the house with a gun and follow through with what he said'. His dad added that he 'thought it was the end'.

Henning, who has three previous convictions for six offences, admitted affray, assault and two counts of criminal damage during an earlier hearing.

Gareth Roberts, defending, said he wants to be reconciled with his dad and put the incident behind him.

He also said he was 'ashamed' of how he acted. But has been drug free for months and continues to strive for that.

Mr Roberts added that his client has been offered a new job as an engineer in Mold with a £38,500 annual salary, which he is due to begin within weeks.

Sentencing, Judge David Hale said: "It's not a very edifying prospect, because you obviously got very offensive on this night when you had too much to drink and probably other things as well.

"You made all sorts of threats to damage and hurt the occupants. You made yourself a thorough nuisance and they were very frightened.

"They remain in fear of you. But I'm told - and I have some doubts about it - that you have started to turn your life around, and you are not now taking drugs."

Henning was handed an 18-month imprisonment suspended for two years and told to complete 100 hours of community service, plus a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days. He was also given a restraining order preventing him from contacting his family or entering their street until December next year, and made to pay £1,000 in court costs and a victim surcharge.