A DRUG addict who went to the home of a man she believed had burgled her house armed with two knives and an air rifle has been spared a jail term.

Salisbury Crown Court heard on Friday that a pregnant woman and a young child were inside when Chloe Racey, 26, went to the flat in Neville Close in the early hours of New Year’s Day and started hammering on the door. The man’s sister answered the door and found Racey brandishing a Co2 air pistol, which was knocked out of her hand and shattered, and two kitchen knives – one at least six inches long and one at least four inches long.

Police were called and heard Racey shouting “I’ll kill him if I don’t get it back. I don’t care if I go to prison”.

The court heard Racey, of Denison Rise, Salisbury, had been drinking heavily has a long history of drug abuse.

No evidence was found that the victim had burgled Racey’s house but he is now in prison for an unrelated burglary.

Judge Andrew Barnett told Racey: “These are serious offences. It worries society greatly that people brandish knives, and they can be used to devastating effect. You armed yourself to go to this flat, which was an extremely foolish thing to do and could have been extremely dangerous.”

He acknowledged that Racey had made good progress in tacking her substance abuse while in custody and said he would give her a chance to show she can change.

She was given a ten-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months. She will be supervised and will undergo a nine-month drug rehabilitation process.