AN ENRAGED father wielded a chainsaw and doused his ex-girlfriend in petrol before torching her house in a “scene from a horror movie”.

David Nott was jailed for six years and four months at Oxford Crown on Friday for an “unbelievable” rampage witnessed by his children.

Henry James, prosecuting, said: “It reads more like the script of a horror film than the usual case that comes before the criminal courts.”

Nott, a tree surgeon who lived “an itinerant lifestyle”, went to the home of former partner Rebecca Slade in Kennington Road, Kennington, on June 24 in a pre-arranged visit to pick up the couple’s two-year-old daughter Isabella.

However, Mr James said the 34-year-old became concerned his ex’s new boyfriend, Keith Greehan, was using drugs and returned at about 9pm.

“He was described coming out of his van bare-chested carrying in his hand a chainsaw and also some sort of metal implement with a chisel end,” said Mr James. “He started up the chainsaw and started to attack her car.”

Nott slashed the tyres and damaged the BMW’s door while Miss Slade, Mr Greehan and Miss Slade’s 12-year-old son Mark barricaded themselves in an upstairs bedroom, the court heard.

But Nott prised open the front door with the metal stick and went upstairs.

Reading from Miss Slade’s statement, Mr James said: “I could hear repeated smashing noises then I heard footsteps upstairs followed by the bedroom door being pushed.

“Something came crashing through the top panel of the door, some kind of metal tool.”

Mr James said Miss Slade could hear “liquid sloshing about” as Nott smashed his way through the bedroom door.

“He was pouring it over my head and face, and Keith,” said her statement, “I could tell from the smell it was petrol being poured through the door.”

Miss Slade’s son escaped as Nott struggled with Miss Slade and Mr Greehan before pouring petrol over the bedroom, the court heard. The pair managed to get out before it was set alight, causing £55,000 of damage.

Nott fled the scene but returned in his van, with his two-year-old daughter inside, after emergency services had arrived.

Mr James said Nott drove through a police road block, hitting a fire truck and causing an officer to take evasive action, before eventually being restrained with CS spray.

Miss Slade’s victim-impact statement said it was “a life-changing experience”, forcing them to leave the area.

“It’s an extremely serious case,” said Mr James, “which was very frightening for those who were present and it was traumatic to an extraordinary degree to the 12-year-old boy.”

Recorder Sandeep Kainth nodded and said: “Unbelievable.”

Shaun Wallace, defending, said: “I cannot think of any more shocking way to behave, irrespective of the circumstances.

“His mind was outside of his body, the two working completely separately and the red mist completely descended.”

Nott had earlier admitted affray, dangerous driving, criminal damage and arson reckless as to whether life is endangered.

Recorder Kainth said it was “one of the worst cases (of such an arson) I’ve ever come across.

“When your own children are involved it simply beggars belief.”