A WINDOW cleaner has been jailed for beating up his former friend and damaging his Felixstowe home.Simon Castello, who has served eight years in an American jail for fraud, assault and burglary, burst into Gavin Lancaster's Hallpond Way home and "rained punches upon him".

A WINDOW cleaner has been jailed for beating up his former friend and damaging his Felixstowe home.

Simon Castello, who has served eight years in an American jail for fraud, assault and burglary, burst into Gavin Lancaster's Hallpond Way home and "rained punches upon him".

Steven Dyble, prosecuting at Ipswich Crown Court, said: "He shouted out 'I'm going to kill you. You grassed me up, you know what it's about.'"

Mr Lancaster's girlfriend managed to push Castello out of the house but he produced an extendible baton and smashed it against the closed door. Mr Lancaster suffered a bruised hand in the attack.

Mr Lancaster's two young children and an elderly relative were in the house at the time.

Castello, of Martins Green, Trimley St Martin, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, common assault and criminal damage.

Simon Spence, mitigating, said his client had "led a very active criminal life in the USA but had come to England for a new start". He said Castello and his girlfriend, Joanna Perry, had set up a profitable window cleaning business which she would continue to run if Castello went to prison.

Judge John Holt said there was a history between Mr Lancaster and Castello and on this occasion Castello had "lost his temper" and gone to Mr Lancaster's home to "teach him a lesson".

He said: "You entered his home and punched him several times and told him you were going to kill him."

He sentenced Castello to a total of eight months in jail.