A father cowered in a bedroom after his drunk stepson poured lighter fluid over the door and threatened to burn the house down, a court heard.

Michael Ballard was so terrified he locked himself in and summoned the police to come to his aid at the house in Maidstone Road, Rochester.

But he later refused to support a prosecution against his stepson Rocky Rahl and the Crown had to rely on his 999 call.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 26-year-old scaffolder had downed 10 pints of lager and drunk brandy.

Prosecutor Simon Blackford played the emergency call to a jury.

In it he said his son had come home drunk and was threatening to set the house on fire.

He added he had poured lighter fluid on the door and threatened to burn down the three-storey property.

The call lasted about 24 minutes before officers arrived on the scene.

He told the operator: “My son has come home absolutely drunk and is threatening me. He is threatening to burn the house down. He is threatening his mother.

“He has got a lighter and he is going to burn the house down. He has thrown lighter fluid up the door and is going to set fire to it.”

Rahl could be heard in the background swearing, and banging on the door.

“The prosecution doesn’t have to prove there was damage to the property,” said Mr Blackford.

“The prosecution has to prove that fear would result in the person concerned.”

Rahl, now living in Penn, Wolverhampton, denied threatening to destroy or damage property, but changed his plea to guilty during the trial.

Sean Smith, defending, said Rahl’s mother and stepfather told police they would not support a prosecution.

Rahl was just two when his natural father died and Mr Ballard felt he was still distressed because he had never had counselling.

“You rampaged through the house, shouting and swearing... This was very unpleasant, frightening and truly dangerous" - Judge Charles Macdonald

“He thought he matter could be resolved without court proceedings,” added Mr Smith.

Rahl was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

He will have to complete 150 hours unpaid work.

Judge Charles Macdonald QC told him: “You were very drunk. You rampaged through the house, shouting and swearing.

“This was very unpleasant, frightening and truly dangerous.

“There was a real possibility of a fire in the house. Had this happened, you would be facing a very long sentence.”

But the judge added that as his family had forgiven him and he had not offended since 2015, there was a good prospect of rehabilitation.