A Tooting man who threatened his neighbour with a meat cleaver as he reportedly held his baby in the other hand has been jailed.

Angelo Caventa, of Aldrington Road, had to be tear gassed and wrestled to the floor by officers after he was seen hitting a car with the cleaver and refused to put it down when police approached him.

The 25-year-old was jailed on March 28 for several offences including attempted robbery, criminal damage, and child neglect at a sentencing at Kingston Crown Court.

During the incident in Aldrington Road on December 23 last year, Caventa was reported to have been holding a baby as he threatened a neighbour with the meat cleaver, demanding her car keys, before damaging both her car and front door.

When officers approached him he was seen reaching into his jacket for another weapon but was disarmed with CS spray by officers after being “ordered repeatedly” to drop it.

The man, who was later identified as the baby’s father, was eventually tackled to the ground and handcuffed while the other weapon in question was found to be a claw hammer.

Meanwhile, the baby was found both safe and alone in the man’s flat before being taken into police protection and reunited with the mum several hours later.

Caventa had been visiting the address in Aldrington Road that weekend, though he is estranged from the mother.

It is said the woman involved was unharmed but ‘understandably severely shaken’ following the incident.

Caventa was jailed for three years in prison for attempted robbery, two counts of criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, points and blades and child neglect.

He was originally also charged with affray, however, no plea was entered for it alongside blackmail.