DRIVEN up the wall by the racket from a St Valentine's party, a Spa man threatened his neighbour with a Samurai sword.

Nicholas Merry - who was warned about the bash, threatened to smash up Karen Jury's stereo after months of noise, Worcester magistrates heard.

Mark Soper prosecuting said the 35 - year - old took a two-foot long samurai sword to Karen Jury's home an hour after the teenager's party ended on Friday, February 14. At first she didn't realise he had the weapon.

Mr Soper added: " He said: If I have any more trouble, I will break the door down, no matter who gets in the way and the stereo. He went home while she rang the police.

"When the police arrived they took three samurai swords from the premises."

Susie Duncan, defending said her client claimed there were ongoing problems with loud noise. "He's put up with that for seven months. Sometimes the music has been on till 2am or 3am," said Miss Duncan.

Bad day

She said the neighbour had housing authority permission to hold the party. Miss Duncan added that Merry had had a bad day at work and described the music as "like sitting in Tramps nightclub."

"I'm told she was abusive to him and said '**** off' and ' if you don't like it, you can move,' Miss Duncan told the court.

Merry was holding the sword down outside the house, but did not attempt to enter.

She said Merry of Woodman's Green, Droitwich had difficulty with anger management after a brain haemorrhage in 1996 which left him in a three-month coma.

Merry, who admitted affray was ordered to pay £25 compensation and £118 costs. Magistrates put him on a community rehabilitation order for two years and ordered the destruction of his three swords.