POLICE found themselves in a siege situation after a 28-year-old Darwen man used a hammer to smash windows at his ex-girlfriend’s flat and then threw a television out of an upstairs window.

When officers arrived Billy Anthony Woodhouse was stood at the first floor window bleeding heavily from a cut to his arm and shouting abuse, “ like a scene from a TV soap”.

Following his arrest he spent four days in hospital being treated for his injuries and after being charged he was taken to court and sent to prison.

Woodhouse, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, pleaded guilty to assaulting Louise Sinnott and causing £400 worth of damage to windows belonging to her.

He was jailed for 10 weeks with a further nine weeks for being in breach of a suspended prison sentence initially imposed for criminal damage and breach of a restraining order in favour of Miss Sinnott.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said Miss Sinnott had been out the night before and was asleep on her settee when she heard a large bang.

“She woke up to find the defendant in her house carrying a hammer,” said Mrs White.

“When she asked what he was doing he became aggressive and abusive, swinging the hammer above her. He started smashing bedroom windows with the hammer and she was very scared at that point.”

Miss Sinnott and her friend left the flat and called the police who arrived to find Woodhouse standing at the window and the TV on the floor under the window.

Tasar trained officers were called to help deal with the situation and Woodhouse was eventually arrested.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Woodhouse had been drinking and believed his drink had been spiked.

“As a result he can remember very little about the incident,” said Mr Church-Taylor. “The police arrived to find a scene like something from a TV soap. He was at the window bleeding and the TV was on the floor outside. He badly severed his arm either smashing the windows or throwing something through it.”