A FURIOUS husband held a knife to his stepson's throat during a terrifying confrontation at his estranged wife's Distington home.

Paul Carruthers. 56, committed the offence after arriving at the property in Barfs Road on August 13 last year and finding Simon Scott asleep on the settee, Carlisle Crown Court was told.

The defendant had moved out after his 16-year marriage broke down.

He arrived at the house that day to collect belongings and documents, the court heard.

Mr Scott - who woke to find the defendant standing over him and "in a rage" - went upstairs to retrieve a folder of documents belonging to Carruthers.

But after he handed them over, Carruthers confronted him with a knife, holding the blade to his stepson's throat.

Carruthers threatened to "do them all in", the court heard.

He threatened to harm both Mr Scott and his mother.

As Mrs Carruthers arrived home a short time later, she saw the defendant sitting in his car outside the house.

He looked towards her and made a slicing motion across his throat.

In her victim impact statement, Mrs Carruthers said what happened left her unable to sleep.

"The last three weeks have been a living nightmare," she said.

Jamie Baxter, for the defendant, of Main Street, Distington, said he had suffered with his mental health on the day of the offence.

The barrister spoke also of a recent traumatic event in his client's life - his finding the body of a close relative who had taken his own life.

This left the defendant, who admitted an affray and a public order offence, with post traumatic stress.

Recorder Tom Gilbart jailed Carruthers for 11 months.

He also imposed a restraining order, banning any contact with his victims for three years.