A MACHETE-wielding teenager who wrecked two rooms in a hostel has been jailed for four months.

Anthony Colin Morgan, 19, had abused a staff member at Clare House, Rawtenstall, and then barricaded himself into his room during the £800 damage spree.

Police were called, broke down the door and found him under a wardrobe he had used to stop people getting in, Burnley Magistrates heard.

Morgan, said to have a drink problem and who also flouted an Intensive Control and Change Programme, was told by the bench no other sentence than custody was appropriate.

The defendant, of Thorn Bank, Bacup, admitted affray, damage and breaching a community rehabilitation order.

Bill Maude, prosecuting, told the court Morgan was then living at Clare House. A project support worker heard loud banging, went upstairs and heard the voices of the defendant and another resident in her room.

The worker asked Morgan to open the door, but he was abusive. When the defendant finally let the worker in he saw plaster scattered on the floor, plaster missing from the wall and a damaged door case. Morgan squared up to the worker, said he did not care and the employee went to call police, followed by the defendant, screaming and shouting at him.

Mr Maude said everything went quiet until 10.30pm when the support worker looked in Morgan's room from outside, saw a wardrobe behind the door and was again abused. He called police again.

The prosecutor said another resident had been invited into the room and had been shown a machete by Morgan. The defendant told him he had used the weapon to cause damage.

Police arrived, tried to speak to Morgan but were abused. They broke down the door and arrested the defedant, who was extremely drunk. When he was fit to be questioned the next day he admitted he had been out of control and agreed he had had the machete in his room. Morgan had 14 previous convictions.

Abdul Khan, defending, said drink seemed to have overtaken Morgan's life. His mother had thrown him out because she could no longer tolerate his alcohol abuse.

He had since gone back to the hostel to apologise to staff, had returned to his mother's and not been in any more trouble.