An apprentice armed himself with a hammer and an extendable baton to confront people he accused of trolling him.

Lukas White launched attacks on a home in Exmouth and a car in Budleigh Salterton on successive days in November last year because he felt he was being bullied online.

He went to the home of his first target armed with a hammer and terrified the man’s mother and sister by brandishing the weapon and using it to damage the front door.

A driver was left covered in broken glass when White smashed the window of his car with the baton as he was parked up.

White, aged 19, of Norman Crescent, admitted two counts of affray and was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community work and 15 days of rehabilitation activities under an 18 months community order.

The judge told him: “I am not going to send you to prison. You are only 19 with no previous convictions and I am not going to ruin your life. I believe young men like you should have a chance to sort out their lives."

He is hoping to resume an apprenticeship if he is not sent to jail.