Brothers threatened woman with machete

Robert Smith and Joseph Smith, both of Willenhall, were given 12 months and 16 months in prison respectively after repeatedly making threats towards a woman over a dispute they had with her former partner.

Joseph, 24, of Thorne Road, went to the woman's home with a machete on February 15, 2015, to ask where her ex was and said he would 'start chopping hands' if she called the police.

Robert, 26, of Wolverhampton Road West, waited outside in a car but judge Barry Berlin said that he was 'equally to blame' before sentencing the pair at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The court also heard that the pair told the woman she was 'lucky to be alive' after hurling what they claimed was a petrol bomb at her home.

Prosecuting, Mr Stephen Thomas, said: "The victim's ex partner had some sort of dispute with the brothers and at this point he was no longer living with her.

"However, on February 1, the pair visited her house and confronted her, asking where the former partner was.

"Later on that evening, she heard glass smash as she was in her front room, before going outside to check and seeing shattered glass on the floor.

"She received a call the next day saying she was lucky to be alive because that smash was caused by a petrol bomb being thrown at her home which hadn't gone off.

"The on February 15, Robert and Joseph went to her house again, while Robert stayed in the car, Joseph came to the door with a machete.

"He asked again where the ex partner was and said that if he wasn't told where he was and she called the police, he would start chopping hands.

"The victim was at home with her mother and daughter for what was a terrifying ordeal."

Defending Joseph, Mr Delroy Henry said: "I can't make any excuse for these terrible actions, I have to ask for mercy on behalf of my client.

"He does not want to go to prison, he has been once and was left with a life-changing injury, so the prospect is terrifying for him.

"He has matured a lot in the time which has passed since and wants to put this all behind him."

Defending Robert, Mr William Dudley said: "He is not really a violent man and regrets putting himself in this situation."

However, judge Barry Berlin said he believed the actions of both men crossed the custody threshold.

He said: "Carrying a knife will inevitably lead to trouble, even if it is carried as self defence.

"It only takes one comment to be taken wrongly, or even a look, before the consequences turn grave.

"While you Joseph had the knife on you and Robert didn't, Robert was in a sense equally to blame, he knew you had it on you."

Joseph Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of harrasment and one count of carrying an offensive weapon, while Robert Smith pleaded guilty to one count of harassment.

Robert smith was also banned from driving for 18 months after pleading guilty to driving without a licence, driving without a test certificate and driving without insurance.