A MAN from Worcester has been given a suspended sentence for kicking his partner's mother's door on Christmas Day.

Stuart Sallis, aged 27, of Carnforth Drive, Brickfields, pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive behaviour and damaging a door valued at £200. He also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender for bail and breaching his conditional discharge.

John Harmshaw, prosecuting, told magistrates on Monday that Sallis had turned up at the house shortly after 8.30pm on Christmas Day and knocked on the door, demanding to see his partner Philippa Lake and their son.

However, her brother asked him to leave and Sallis became verbally aggressive and invited him outside the house for a fight, which he would not do.

He later returned to the property twice more and he kicked the door, causing the hinge to break and part of the wood to splinter.

Sallis was told she had gone out and the police were called.

Miss Lake's mother also became involved and told Sallis to go away as he was causing a disturbance.

Defending, Susan Duncan said Sallis had been in a six- year relationship with Miss Lake but she was suffering from post natal depression following the birth and had temporarily returned to her mother's for Christmas.

Mrs Duncan said Sallis had been told he could visit her on the day but she had been late returning from a friend's house and he felt he was being taken on a "wild goose chase" as he could not find her. She said he also suffers from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a partial form of Tourette's, both of which are undiagnosed.

Mrs Duncan said he admitted kicking the door but it was only minor damage.

"He has a strong work ethic. He also thinks he is a failure if he cannot support his own family," she said.

"Since Christmas he has been trying everything to sort things out. He told me he had a good job and a good bond with his son. He has also started playing football and he has new friends who don't get into trouble. He said he is doing everything right now and feels he has turned a corner."

Sallis now works as a delivery driver's mate and is keen to keep his job and is hoping to take driving lessons.

Magistrates told Sallis they were satisfied the offence was serious and because it was an abuse of trust in a domestic environment he would be given a custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to pay compensation of £200 for the damage to the door to Mrs Lake and £60 in court costs.