A man hid in his estranged wife’s home and listened as she made love to her new boyfriend.

He then burst in and attacked the boyfriend with a pickaxe handle.

He refused to let the terrified pair leave but after they did escape, he faced a stand-off with police before being arrested.

James Smith, 20, of Charnwood Road. Blakeley, Manchester was jailed for 26 months after admitting false imprisonment and affray in December last year, damaging property and breaching an ASBO the month before and common assault and an earlier ASBO breach in August.

Prosecutor Ben Temple told Canterbury Crown Court the first of the catalogue of offences started in August last year when Smith walked into Dover police station, became aggressive and threw a can of drink over a member of police staff.

By November he had separated from his wife Caroline and she no longer wanted contact with him. On the night of Novembver 22, he went to her home at Kings Ropewalk, Dover where her parents had been baby-sitting for her. He was drunk and kicked in a pane of glass in the front door then smashed a window with a block of concrete, threatening the family, which included young children inside.

When arrested in London Road he was still aggressive and abusive.

A month later, in breach of his bail conditions, he returned to the house while his wife was out and hid in the premises. Mrs Smith returned with her boyfriend Kevin Bland and in the early hours the couple talked then went to bed. Unaware Smith was in the house, they began making love when Smith burst in armed with a pick axe handle and kitchen knife. He smashed the handle onto Mr Bland’s shin.

He threatened to stab them and smashed a mirror and bedside table before they were allowed to put some clothes on.

Eventually the pair were able to leave, by which time the police had arrived and there followed a dramatic stand-off with officers, during which Smith was self-harming.

Peter Alcock, for Smith, said he was now extremely remorseful but the offences were committed in the context of the breakdown of his marriage and when he had mental health problems.

Jailing Smith, Judge Adele Williams said no doubt the final incident had been a terrifying ordeal for the couple but she accepted it happened at the time when Smith was depressed but his behaviour was unacceptable.