A MAN has appeared in court accused of assaulting three members of his family after inhaling gas.
Andrew Baker appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday in custody.
He is accused of attacking his mother Elizabeth Harrison, his father Peter Harrison and half-brother Damien at the family home in December last year.
Baker, 27, denies the charge and faces trial at the court on February 24.
Paul Ramsay, prosecuting, said that the alleged incident took place in the living room of the house on Manchester Road in Linthwaite.
He said that Baker had been inhaling gas from a canister and as a result become paranoid.
Mr Ramsay said that when he returned home an altercation took place during which time his family members were assaulted.
He said: “Throughout the incident the father was trying to calm the defendant down.
“His mother went to leave the house to call the police and he then threw the cannister at her.
“He threw several punches at her and bit his brother’s arm.
“The defendant then assaulted his father by picking up a lamp and striking his back.”
Baker was bailed with strict conditions not to contact the family or go near the house.
However, he was arrested by police on January 28 after they caught him at the property while making further enquiries.
Officers found Baker, of no fixed address, hiding under a bed.
Charles Ainley, defending, told magistrates that the family wanted Baker to come back home.
However, at an earlier hearing his application to have his bail conditions varied was refused.
He said that on the day of the breach, Baker’s mum had invited him home.
Mr Ainley said: “His mum saw him in Huddersfield and he said he’d been sleeping on sofas.
“She said to him: ‘Right, you’re coming home until you sort something else out’ and at his mother’s invitation he goes back to the address.
“The family hid him under the bed when police turned up because he shouldn’t have been there.”
Mr Ainley added that his client accepted that he was in breach of bail.
Magistrates agreed to rebail Baker to his grandmother’s address in Tadcaster.
He was warned that he faces jail if he breaches his conditions again.
Baker’s trial takes place at the magistrates’ court on February 24.
