A drug user has been jailed for threatening a neighbour with a bread knife after he went to complain about anti-social behaviour.

Adam Scott was visiting his father’s house in Exmouth when an upstairs neighbour came downstairs at 11 pm to remonstrate about a stream of noisy visitors.

Scott reacted by telling the neighbour that he was a boxer who was in training for a fight before picking up the knife and boasting that he also had access to a gun.

The victim was so terrified that he suffered sleepless nights and anxiety attacks and is thinking about moving away from his home in Liverton Close, Exmouth.

Spice addict Scott has a long record of violence including an arson attack in which he set light to a homeless disabled man who was sleeping rough in a Pannier Market in North Devon.

He has convictions for a total of 106 offences in Devon and Cornwall, where he assaulted a police officer while living rough in Truro three years ago.

Scott, aged 30, of no fixed abode, admitted affray and was jailed for two years by Judge Stephen Climie at Exeter Crown Court. The judge banned him from going to Exmouth or from contacting his own father or the victim and his family for three years with a restraining order.

He told Scott: “You have an appalling record for offences of violence, relatively minor for the most part. When you are under the influence of drink or drugs, your behaviour is completely out of control.

“This falls at the highest level of offences of affray. You threatened violence with a bladed article and a firearm, although there was not such a weapon present. This is a case where there is no realistic option other than custody.”

Mr Michael Brown, prosecuting, said Scott was visiting his father’s flat in Liverton Close, Exmouth on the night of May 2 this year when he was joined by friends and an upstairs neighbour came down to complain about the disturbance.

Scott became abusive and threatening and said he had been boxing and training for a fight. He picked up a bread knife and said he would ‘shank him’. He also claimed to have a gun.

The victim shoved Scott out of his way and escaped to his own flat where he called the police, who seized a number of items including the knife, but did not find a firearm.

Mr William Parkhill, defending, said Scott has started to overcome long standing problems with substance abuse since being remanded in custody in May. He had a particular problem with the synthetic drug Spice when he committed this affray.

He said the other two issues which have led to Scott’s appalling record are homelessness and a previously undiagnosed mental illness. He plans to move to a supported hostel in Exeter on his release and is receiving medication for ADHD for the first time.