A DRUG debt enforcer from Taunton has been jailed for forcing his way into a couple's home and threatening them with an iron crowbar.

Christopher Leahy squirted Lucozade into the face of victim Emily Gibbons and told her that next time it would be petrol. He threatened to kill her dog and to burn down her home in Seaton.

He drove from his home in Bathpool to East Devon to recover the final £140 of a £420 debt for cannabis which he had bullied her partner Jonathan Harris into buying from him while living in Axminster.

They had received a series of threats by phone, text and Snapchat over the previous three months which culminated in a flurry of messages in the 48 hours before Leahy went to their home on October 5.

The messages warned them no to go to the police, saying:"No-one likes a grass. Grasses get glasses." They also warned that 'pikies' would go to their home unless they paid up.

Leahy hammered on the door until he was let in and then used the crowbar to smash the television and a table. Mr Harris locked himself in the bathroom and called the police.

Ms Gibbons was subjected to the threats to herself, her home and her dog before Leahy left. Phone records showed he drove straight back to Taunton.

Leahy, also known as Wood, aged 32, Bathpool, Taunton, admitted blackmail and was jailed for two years and nine months by Judge Timothy Rose at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him:"You exposed the victims to an extremely frightening and somewhat protracted incident. Ms Gibbons says you had lost control of yourself and were going mad and that is what you were doing.

"You were screaming abuse and threats. You threatened to burn the house down and kill the dog. It was truly outrageous and an indication of your extremely violent and menacing to which you resorted.

"The aggravating features are that the threats were made over months, you followed them through with a visit, and above all, you armed yourself with a weapon with which to enact those threats of violence. You caused very real fear."

Mr William Hunter, prosecuting, said Leahy, who they knew as Woodsie, befriended them when they lived in Axminster but then tried to force them to sell cannabis for him and claimed they owed a debt when they refused.

He also bullied Mr Harris into placing bets for him and claimed he owed him more money if they were unsuccessful.

The couple moved to a secret address in Fore Street, Seaton to get away from him but he found them and started making threats. He demanded £420 and although they paid back £280 he carried on asking for between £420 and £1,020.

He sent dozens of messages over the past three months, culminating on the evening of October 5 when they were warned to pay up by 5.30 pm or face a visit by 'pikies'.

Leahy turned up in the early evening and started kicking the door, which Ms Gibbons opened for him. He barged his way in and used the crowbar to smash things, while making more threats and demanding money.

He squirted Lucozade at Ms Gibbons and said next time it would be petrol. He said he would burn down the house and kill her dog.

The couple were so frightened that they have moved away from Seaton. Ms Gibbons made a victim impact statement saying she thought she was going to die during the incident.

Mr Harry Ahuja, defending, said Leahy had not used violence towards anyone or intended to do so. He had not broken into the house and none of the threats had been acted on.

He said that Leahy has previous convictions for harassment and threatening behaviour but these arose in the context of the break up of a relationship and family court proceedings over access to a child.

He said Leahy has a well paid job in London and travels back to Somerset every weekend to see his child.