A highly dangerous balaclava-clad offender who had been threatening to “do in” his neighbour for weeks, forced his way into her home in a drunken rage and brutally attacked two innocent women with a monkey wrench.

Dilnawaz Hussain was so persistent in his assault that he even picked up a sound bar from the house and began beating one of his victims across the head with it, and kicked and stabbed at the other as she lay on the floor trying to move.

On July 7 last year, Hussain had been arrested for stabbing a wheelie bin with a knife after shouting and peering into his neighbour Fiona Ashworth’s backyard while she was enjoying a barbecue with friends and family.

He was charged and three days later, at the magistrates’ court, he pleaded guilty to having the weapon in public but was released on bail, Preston Crown Court heard.

While on bail, Hussain, of Duke Street, Colne, “became obsessed with Ms Ashworth and began making unfounded allegations against her, displaying a deeply misogynistic attitude”.

The court heard that over the next few weeks, between July and mid-August, several other neighbours noticed Hussain growing increasingly agitated, with one overhearing him shouting, “I am going to f***ing kill them, they don’t know who they are dealing with,” before referring to Fiona Ashworth as a “snitch”.

In messages sent to others just before 8.30pm on August 11, the 28-year-old stated: “Something needs to be done about this Duke Street situation immediately before I end up in prison.

“I need Fiona Ashworth done in on Duke Street for giving lip to me. I don’t care about damage I have had enough.”

Sentencing Hussain, Judge Ian Unsworth KC said: “Earlier that evening you had been shouting and making gestures to those enjoying a summer evening in their homes.

“It was clear you had a gruelling anger towards Fiona Ashworth.

“Rightly and understandably she and her aunties decided to take no notice of you and got on with their lives.

“A little after 10.30pm you, heavily intoxicated, wearing a balaclava and armed with a monkey wrench, made your way from your property to Fiona Ashworth’s backyard.

“The back door was bolted but you forced your way through and set about attacking those who were nearest to you.

“There were children present who had to flee and those nearest you were Lynne Ashworth and April Machin.

“You used the monkey wrench repeatedly and Lynne Ashworth can be seen on video footage falling to the floor having been hit by you.

“You don’t do anything to help her, you kick her and kick April Machin as well, and can be seen continually kicking, stabbing, and hitting.

“You then picked up a sound bar and shadows from the video footage show you striking April Machin with it, using that as a weapon.

“At one stage you can be heard calling them ‘racist bitches’, and at another, you are heard saying you ‘don’t care and you were going to p**s on them’.

“You showed them no mercy. This was a brutal attack.”

Judge Unsworth said both Lynne Ashworth and April Machin sustained terrible injuries and were very lucky they were not more serious considering the ferociousness of the attack, which was fortunately interrupted by a brave neighbour whose presence in Fiona Ashworth’s backyard was sufficient enough to halt the assault.

He went on: “Both victims showed enormous courage in reading out their victim personal statements and that they did so says much about their character and resilience.

“Fiona Ashworth says she feels guilty as to what happened, but she should not feel guilt as you are the only person responsible for what happened that evening.

“This was a persistent assault. You launched a number of blows on those victims and continued with ease, and continued with the attack when Lynne Ashworth showed signs of moving while she was on the floor after you had knocked her to the ground.

“There was clear planning and preparation here as over that period from early July to mid-August you embarked on a series of acts encouraging others to assault Fiona Ashworth, and on the day of the attack you placed a balaclava on your head to try and conceal your identity and armed yourself with a wrench.

“What you were seeking to do was what you had been saying for weeks. This was weeks in planning.

“While this was not a revenge attack, this was motivated by your desire to assault a witness.

“Fuelled by alcohol you went to her property with the intent of attacking her and you happened upon two women and then carried out the attack in the way I have described.

“I accept that you are now remorseful, albeit that is limited and delayed.

“According to your pre-sentence report, you currently pose a risk of serious harm to your victims and the general public, and I am satisfied you are a dangerous offender.”

Hussain pleaded guilty to wounding with intent concerning Lynne Ashworth, attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent on April Machin, and intentionally encouraging the intimidation of a witness, in respect of Fiona Ashworth.

He was handed a 16-year and 10 months-long extended sentence, made up of an 11-year and 10-month custodial element, with five years on licence.

He was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order in respect of all three of his victims.