An “immature” thug who barged into a home and threatened those inside with a meat cleaver has been spared jail.

Brandon Cook, who brandished the kitchen blade during a confrontation at a property in Ramsgate, walked free from court after admitting affray.

But as he was sentenced and about to leave the dock, the 21-year-old was warned: “This is not just a slap on the wrist.”

Canterbury Crown Court was told the incident developed out of a feud with Duncan Kelly, who Cook owed money to for drugs.

On February 24, Cook drove to Mr Kelly’s home in Ayton Road, where they exchanged threats.

In a statement to police, Mr Kelly told how events unfolded following Cook’s arrival.

“Brandon messaged me to say he was outside. I was using the toilet at the time but then I was told Brandon was sat in the car looking smug, so I came running downstairs,” said Mr Kelly.

“I said ‘if you want to say things about my kids, I will rip you out of the car’.

“Brandon said ‘I’m going to smash you up’, and then threw the money at the door.

“I had my jacket in my hand to pretend I had a blade. After he left I texted Brandon ‘you ran from a shank’.”

Cook’s lawyer, Phil Rowley, remarked that the young men had acted in “accordance with their immaturity” before his client “very foolishly” returned to the terraced house late that night.

Prosecuting, Caroline Knight said Cook forced his way into the property and threatened Mr Kelly and his girlfriend with a meat cleaver he had found inside.

Mr Kelly called police and officers were quick to arrive at the scene.

“The defendant was attempting to flee through the back door in the kitchen when he was apprehended,” Ms Knight said.

“Offices found Mr Kelly’s keys in the defendant’s pockets.”

Cook was charged with aggravated burglary with intent and threatening a person with an offensive weapon, but prosecutors later amended the indictment to include a charge of affray, which Cook admitted.

The other two charges were ordered to lie on file.

Mitigating, Mr Rowley added: “His pre-sentence report speaks of a lack of maturity, but proper acceptance and remorse.”

Handing down Cook’s sentence, Recorder Stuart Trimmer KC highlighted how much worse the incident could have been,

“What you did, whatever the circumstances were, was going inside someone’s house, picking up a knife and threatening people with it,” he said.

“This is extremely bad behaviour - there’s only seconds between that and killing someone.

Cook was handed an 18-month community order with an obligation to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 15 sessions of a thinking skills probation program.

“This is not just a slap on the wrist,” continued the recorder.

“I have taken the view that dealing with you in this way will be a better deal for the public.

“Any failure to abide by the conditions of the community order will land you back here.”