A MAN swung a machete at a dog’s head and shouted “I’ll f**king knife you” as a family dispute escalated.

Shaun Daw, 33, of Springdale in Huddersfield, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court for affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

Daw – an ex-army man – went round to the home of Brandon Wild following a family dispute.

The prosecution said in the lead-up there had been “a lot of ill-feeling and acrimonious phone calls” which resulted in Daw making a threatening call to Mr Wild.

The court heard he said he would put him in a body bag. Just 30 minutes later, Daw drove to Mr Wild’s house in Brighouse.

He got out of the car, approached Mr Wild’s house and said, “get the f**k outside”.

Mr Wild came out of the house and kept his distance but Daw then pulled out a 2ft long machete and threatened to cut him up, the court heard, and said: "I'll f**king knife you.”

Adam Walker, prosecuting, said: “A dog got out, Mr Daw swung the machete down towards the dog’s head.”

The blade was blocked by the garden fence and it took a chunk out of it, the court heard.

The prosecution said it was unclear as to whether this was a gesture, or if he actually intended to hit the animal.

Recorder Caroline Goodwin QC said: “There is some discussion whether the dog was thrown at you or get out, it matters not, you shouldn’t have gone round.”

Daw calmed down and left and the bickering continued over message for a short time, but there has been no contact between the parties since.

Anastasis Tasou, for Daw, said the insults and provocation went both ways in the dispute, with a group of adults exhibiting “childlike behaviour”.

There was never any intent to enter the garden and he made movements forward, the court heard.

Mr Tasou said: “This is a kind of case which we may never really get a true and accurate account of that day, save to say Mr Daw accepts responsibility for his offences by way of his guilty plea.”

The judge outlined Daw, in the words of probation, sees himself in the role of protector but that his behaviour was “unacceptable” and “ill-advised”.

She said: “But he needs to recognise there are occasions where he doesn’t need to involve himself in other people’s business.”

She added: “That weapon was clearly brandished in a threatening way to send a message by bringing that machete down onto the fence in the way that he did.”

The judge outlined Daw had “made great strides” in his life, such as his current employment.

The sentence of one-year imprisonment was suspended for 18 months and Daw was ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation requirement days. He was also made the subject of a six-month curfew, in operation between 8.30pm and 6am.