A RAUGHTON Head man has denied telling a woman that he would smash his way through her door and burn her house down.

Appearing at the city's Rickergate court, Luke Cockburn, 31, formally pleaded not guilty to the theratening behaviour charge and also denied assaulting the same woman at an address in Carlisle.

Prosecutors say the allegations relate to events in January 5: the assault on January 5 and the threatening behaviour between January 5 and January 24.  The threats charge states that he intended the woman to believe that the threat would be carried out.

After the defendant, of The Greens, Raughton Head, elected to have a summary trial, magistrates accepted jurisdiction and set the trial date as May 23.

Cockburn was granted bail on condition that he has no contact with the alleged victim and another prosecution witness. Nor can he enter the area of north Carlisle where those witnesses live.