A drunken man who broke into a house at the dead of night and threatened two terrified young women with a chisel has been jailed for three years and eight months.

Andrew Brown, of Cliffe Street, Keighley, ransacked the property, tipping over the television, kicking in a door and pulling off a radiator, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Brown, 44, pleaded guilty to burglary with intent to commit criminal damage at Sand Street, Keighley, on February 17.Prosecutor Camille Morland said on Tuesday he forced his way into the house at 11.30pm while the two women were sleeping.

He picked up a chisel, went upstairs and put it against one of his victim’s faces while shouting threats and insults at them. It was too dark for them to see him, but they recognised his voice.

He wrecked a bedroom and then trashed the house, Miss Morland told the court.

His two traumatised victims, who had recently moved to Keighley from Scotland, left the house and went back to their homeland.

The court heard Brown was a relative of one of the women and went round to the house after a heated argument with them earlier that evening. He had been drinking large amounts of alcohol before he committed the offence.

Brown’s barrister, Ken Green, said he was ashamed, embarrassed and sorry for his behaviour that night.