A YOUNG Weston father narrowly escaped being sent to jail after assaulting one of his ex-girlfriend’s friends and smashing up the car of another.

Oliver Lucas, of Byron Road on the Bournville estate, appeared in court to face six charges, most of which relate to incidents over the past three months.

The 23-year-old previously pleased guilty in front of magistrates at North Somerset Courthouse in St Georges to four counts of criminal damage, one of assault and another of failing to comply with the requirements of a community order and accepted on Thursday that he could have been facing a jail term.

On February 28 at former partner Rebecca Loving’s house in Longridge Way, Weston, he threatened to smash the windows of Bella Durbin’s Nissan Micra.

A short while later he was seen smashing the windows and windscreen of the car, with what appeared to be a hammer.

Then on March 22 he entered the home of his former partner, threw a tray of plates at Gemma Souter, which missed her, and put his fist through the bathroom door. He is also said to have kicked in part of the front door, something the defendant disputed.

In court on Thursday Lucas said: “I’m sorry about what happened.

“I’d been having hassle from Rebecca, as has my partner, and I was reckless. I let myself down and everybody else. I need to control my anger.”

Lucas was given a suspended sentence of eight weeks, suspended for one year. The community order he was on will continue with a three-month curfew and he was ordered to pay compensation of �450 to Bella Durbin and �75 to Rebecca Loving.

Chair of the bench, John Kane, told him: “Should you commit any more offences or not comply with the community order, the suspended sentence is likely to be activated.”