A knifeman has been jailed for threatening to stab his brother during a squabble at their home in Totnes.

Christopher Prowse had already tried to hit his brother Alfie with a hammer before he lunged at him with the six to seven-inch knife in the back garden.

Alfie suffered a nick on his arm but was not seriously injured in the confrontation which was witnessed over the garden fence by shocked neighbours and by the men’s mother.

Prowse, aged 25, previously of Hope Close, Totnes, but now of no fixed address, admitted affray and was jailed for 11 months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: “You let your temper and frustration get the better of you as you have done in the past, particularly when you were in drink.

“You are likely to pose some risk to those around you until you come to control both your drinking and your temper. The seriousness of this offence lies in your attempt to harm your brother in full view of your mother and the neighbours.”

Miss Zoe Kuyken, prosecuting, said there had been an argument between the two brothers on September 1 this year which led their mother to tell them both to leave.

Alfie was heading upstairs to pack when he shouted a comment to his brother which caused him to react violently and arm himself with a hammer.

He swung it at Alfie and then threw it at him and a struggle ensued in the garden in which Prowse produced a knife with a six to seven-inch blade.

Miss Kuyken said: “He lunged towards Alfie in a slashing motion and Alfie put his arm as he backed off and the knife caught his left elbow. He has made a victim personal statement which says he can’t believe he did that and he would be scared to see him again.

Miss Evie Dean, defending, said Prowse is ready to address his use of alcohol and is keen to stay out of jail for the sake of his two children aged nine and five months.