A father wielded a baseball bat and yelled, “I’m going to smash your head in”, a court heard.

Kelvin Wyatt, of Smith Street, Strood, approached Damien Felstead and his dog, holding a baseball bat at 12.15pm on August 8 in Northcote Road.

The 46-year-old yelled, “I’m going to get you, I’m going to break your arms and legs, I’m going to smash your head in”, Medway magistrates were told.

Wyatt then chased Mr Felstead into a front garden, cornered him and swung the bat. Mr Felstead’s dog ran away.

The bench was told Wyatt said: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit your dog. I’m going to smash your head in until this [the bat] splinters.”

Mr Felstead was cornered, as Wyatt swung the baseball bat around wildly.

To protect himself, Mr Felstead lifted his arms over his head. The bat struck him on the arm and the knuckles, causing bruising and swelling.

Wyatt admitted charges of assault by beating and possession of an offensive weapon.

He said the attack was not unprovoked.

He claimed Mr Felstead assaulted him in May, leaving him needing medical treatment.

Mr Syed, defending, said:

“He reported it to the police. However as it took some time to investigate, Mr Wyatt decided to give Mr Felstead a talking to, to get him off his back. It was very much spontaneous.”

Magistrates gave Wyatt a six-month custodial sentence for possession of the baseball bat suspended it for a year including 10 days’ rehabilitation.

For the assault he was jailed for four months and suspended for a year, to run concurrently.

He was also sentenced to 50 hours’ unpaid work, and ordered to pay £100 compensation, a victim surcharge of £122 and £185 prosecution costs.

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