A baseball bat-wielding man caused hundreds of pounds of damage to cars while 'shouting and screaming' in a drunken late night tirade.

Matthew Garrett, 35, woke up a number of residents as he walked down Borrowdale Road, taking swings at vehicles and lamp posts with two baseball bats.

Southampton Crown Court heard how residents were awoken to the sound of the screams, prompting some to go outside.

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There they found an "intoxicated" Garrett causing damage to various vehicles including a Toyota C-HR, a Peugeot 207, a Vauxhall van, an Audi A1 and a Honda CRV.

The total value of the damage was unknown, though one resident claimed he had to pay £180 for repairs, with another one expecting to pay up to £700.

Prosecutor, Keely Harvey said he was seen swinging a bat towards a woman with her baby before turning on a resident who had followed him. 

He then tried to make his escape - but fell over and was restrained until police could arrive.

When interviewed he told officers that he had been to the nearby Ship Inn but had been attacked by a group of unknown people. 

He went on to say it was not him that caused the damage and was a "case of mistaken identity", despite him being captured on CCTV. 

Damage caused to vehicles during the incident on May 20, 2023, included dents and wing mirrors being knocked off or cracked.

Garrett was on bail waiting to be sentenced for another case at Chelmsford Crown Court at the time of the baseball bat incident.

But after receiving a suspended sentence, he offended again, hitting a man with a chair during a row at a property on November 18, 2023.

He was remanded in custody at HMP Winchester and pleaded guilty to affray, battery, breaching a suspended sentence order and five counts of criminal damage.

Garrett, who is trained as a master carpenter, has 12 previous convictions for 26 offences including criminal damage, theft, assault, and possessing an offensive weapon.

Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Christopher Parker KC said Garrett had made a "serious threat of violence" to residents adding: "You need to sort out your problem with drink and drugs."

But mitigating, Ned Sillett said "no actual violence was used towards anybody" during the criminal damage incident, adding that he has "struggled with emotional management" and "self-medicated with illicit substances" in the past. 

"There are considerable periods of time where Mr Garrett has kept himself out of trouble in the past.

"He understands that his use of Class A drugs was and has been a problem. He wants to stop drinking entirely.

"I say that is indicative of someone who is taking the road to rehabilitation seriously.

"He is sorry for putting the victims through this and being before the court but he does want help."

Garrett, of Brunel Road, Southampton was jailed for 20 months. 

A deprivation order was made for the baseball bats.