A THUG who headbutted a man after he gave a statement to police about him has been jailed for 21 months.

Daniel Greatrex was already on bail after threatening another man who had similarly complained about his anti-social behaviour.

The 24-year-old admitted two counts of intimidating a witness following incidents in Redcar, east Cleveland, on November 26 and December 10 last year.

Oliver Thorne, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said Greatrex confronted one of the victims in a shop and told him he had made the “biggest mistake ever”.

In the second incident, the victim was out walking with his partner when Greatrex pulled up in his car and called him a grass. He headbutted him and also threatened to break his jaw if he phoned the police again.

Andrew White, mitigating, said Greatrex, who has previous convictions for affray and possessing an offensive weapon, said: “He regrets it and apologises to both men.”

Mr White said the defendant was desperate to work and wanted to support his family. He had spent six months on remand in Holme House prison, near Stockton, and wanted to put his life back on track.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said that while Greatrex himself had shown remorse, he had shown none to his victims.

He told him: “You did this on two occasions and set about it in a determined fashion.

“The message from these courts is that people who commit these offences will receive sentences of imprisonment.”

Greatrex, of Wilton Avenue, Redcar, was also given a five year restraining order in respect of the victims.