A thug who took a car before threatening the owner’s two sons with a brick hammer has been jailed.

Elliot Boothman, 21, took Valda Rushton’s Dacia Sandero after being given a key to her house by her son Ellesse Schofield where Boothman intended to sniff some drugs, a court heard.

A few days later Boothman, of James Street, Oswaldtwistle, saw Mr Schofield in the Mill Hill area of Oswaldtwistle and pulled a hammer out of his pants and chased him down the street, Burnley Crown Court heard.

When Mr Schofield’s older brother Jake later saw Boothman on Harvey Street he shouted ‘Elliot what the **** are you playing at?’ before Boothman, brandishing the brick hammer, replied ‘I’ll cave your ******* head in and I’ll wrap it around your head’.

Boothman, who has 21 previous convictions for 41 offences, pleaded guilty to affray, having an offensive weapon in a public place, taking a car without consent, theft of car keys, driving without insurance and using a car without insurance. He was jailed for six months.

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, told the court how Mrs Rushton’s car keys and car were taken on July 21 this year and Ellesse Schofield reported him to police after later seeing him in the car.

The prosector said the background to this matter lies in the previously good relationship between Ms Rushton and the defendant.

The court heard how Mrs Rushton ‘sought to engage’ with Boothman by sending him text messages in a bid to get her car back.

One said: “I’m absolutely gutted that you would think so low of me that you would feel the need to do that to me.”

Another said: “Your mindless act and lack of respect for making sure my keys remained safe not only caused me upset but I’ve now paid hundreds (of pounds) to change every lock on the doors and windows because I can’t trust that you won’t be back.”

Mr McEntee told how in another message Mrs Rushton said she had been ‘nothing but fair’ with Boothman over the years and did ‘not deserve that to happen’.

In response, Boothman messaged Mrs Rushton saying: “I’m going to wrap a hammer around his head.

"You won’t like what I’m going to do to your son.” Mr McEntee said the threats against Ellesse and Jake Schofield with the brick hammer happened on the evening of August 1 this year.

'Terrible record for such a young age' - Judge

Recorder Fiona Ashworth said Elliot Boothman had a ‘terrible record’ for such a young man.

Sentencing, she said: “It’s quite apparent to me that every possible non-custodial sentence has been tried with you and you have not learned your lesson.

“I have seen your previous convictions and they are terrible for somebody of your age.

“You still come straight out of prison and commit further offences.”

Darren Lee-Smith, defending, said there has now been a ‘stark change in his behaviour and his priorities’ since he became a father.

He told the court: “The defendant appreciates there can only be one sentence for these offences, primarily due to his previous convictions and nature of the current offences.

"He accepts fully the prosecution facts and doesn’t intend for me today to water down those facts.

“While in custody he had time to reflect and realises that unless he desists from committing further offences he will spend longer and longer in custody. He realises he has responsibilities in his life.”

Mr Lee-Smith said apologises to his victims and said no actual violence was used.