Reading Magistrates' Court: Hungerford man threatened to torch home after discovering dad was sleeping with his ex

A RAGING man threatened arson after discovering his father was sleeping with his ex-girlfriend, a court was told.

Dion Terry was thrown out of the family home in Hungerford as a result, Reading magistrates heard on Thursday, February 9.

But his mother later apologised – because she found out it was all true, the court was told.

Hazrat Ali, prosecuting, said 30-year-old Dion Terry, now said to be living with his grandmother in Priory Road, Hungerford, had been drinking on the night in question and became infuriated.

She added: "His sister told him to keep the noise down because there were children present in the house... he started throwing food across the kitchen and stormed out.

"He was shouting and swearing at his mother; he threatened to put the bottle in his hand through the car window and to burn the house down."

Mr Terry admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment alarm or distress to Sharon Cadel on July 30 last year.

The court heard he had no recent previous convictions and the last one, for an unrelated matter, dated back a decade.

Robert Jaques, defending, said: "There's a rather sad story behind this."

The evening had begun, he said, with his client cooking a meal for his mother and other family members.

Everything was "civilised", said Mr Jaques... until a fateful revelation.

He added: "During the course of the evening he was notified that his ex-girlfriend was sleeping with his dad.

"He had a few drinks, being very upset about it."

His mother, however, refused to believe it, the court heard, and demanded Mr Terry leave the house.

Mr Jaques went on: "Things got pretty heated; he made silly remarks and left.

"Both sides have now apologised – because his mum found out it was true.

"However that doesn't excuse what he did and he accepts that."

Mr Jaques said his client had worked hard in the construction and scrap metal businesses all his life, although he was temporarily disabled due to a biking injury.

He added: "His is living with his nan at the moment and now has a good relationship with his mum.

"Looking at the background to this, I would ask you to deal with him as leniently as possible."

Magistrated fined Mr Terry £80.

In addition, they ordered him to pay £50 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £32.