A MAN with a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character was jailed for three years for causing thousands of pounds worth of damage at the homes of two sisters and attacking his stepmother and stepsister.

During one of the assaults, Shane Taylor, 27, told his stepmother Dawn Taylor "I'm going to kill you, I'll bite your head off", and proceeded to bite the top of her head, removing a large amount of hair.

Taylor of Winston Road, Trevethin, Pontypool, had appeared before Newport magistrates and admitted two charges of causing damage and two of causing actual bodily harm and had been committed to Cardiff crown court for sentence.

Prosecutor Suzanne Thomas said that on July 28, Taylor was told to leave his home and he went to his sister, Katie Taylor, in Pontypool, but she refused to allow him to stay.

He became abusive to her and went to another sister, Leah Reed, who had been warned about him.

"She didn't answer the front door so he kicked it in. She fled to a bedroom and put a chest of drawers against the door," said Ms Thomas.

She could hear crashing noises downstairs and when she eventually left the bedroom she found the front door off its hinges.

Her £2,000 plasma screen television had also been smashed.

Katie Taylor saw the defendant back at her home, heard smashing noises and called the police.

"She later found her home had been trashed. Many items were damaged including electric equipment, a cooker, chairs and even walls."

He was arrested and admitted causing the damage and was released on bail.

On August 5, said Ms Thomas he was back at his father's home but an argument developed about loud music and he attacked his stepsister, Cindy Taylor, pulling her hair, punching her and pushing her to the floor.

Taylor's counsel Kevin Seal said: "His problems stem from his failure to self medicate for epilepsy.

"He drinks and the combined effect is catastrophic.

"He is a person of low intellect who tries to do his best."

Mr Seal said there was no premeditation and Taylor appeared to have something of a Jekyll and Hyde character.

While in custody, he said, he wrote letters of apology to his family.

Recorder Gregory Treverton-Jones ordered that Taylor be on licence for a total of four years.