Two men who became involved in a ‘very silly incident’ after their argument over a small debt got out of hand have been given a suspended sentence.

Daniel Bryan, 40 and of Renfrew Road, and Dwayne Flowers, 36 and of Tooks Road, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday.

Both faced the charge of affray, and Bryan faced the additional charge of possession of a bladed article in a public place.

On October 16 2021, texts were exchanged between the pair, with Bryan telling Flowers he needed the £40 he owed him returned.

Flowers drove round to Bryan’s home with his son in the back of the car.

Bryan came out of his house with a hammer, and a knife which remained in his pocket, and began to hit the car, smashing the driver’s side window, scuffing the other windows, denting the bonnet and cracking the windscreen.

Bryan told police that Flowers had telephoned him “ranting and raving” to say that he was outside his house, which was why he came out with the hammer and knife. He said he began to hit the car as Flowers had tried to run him over.

Flowers got back into the car, and accepts that he used his car to intimidate Bryan but said he did not intend to hit him.

Flowers’ partner, who owned the car, contacted the police about the damage. Both men gave their own accounts to police, who used Ring Doorbell footage from a neighbour to verify what happened.

In her sentencing, Judge Nicola Talbot-Hadley said: “It was a very silly incident. I’m sure you could have sorted it out in a better way than you did.”

She handed each of them a suspended sentence of 10 months custodial time, which she reduced to eight months.

Bryan also received six months for possession of the knife, to be served concurrently.

Both men’s sentences are suspended for two years.

Bryan was ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the owner of the vehicle, while Flowers was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £156. They will both complete up to 25 Rehabilitation Activity Days and 100 hours unpaid community work.

Judge Talbot-Hadley concluded: “You should both be role models for your children.

“Go home to your families, and please be more responsible in future.”