A PEPPER spray attacker from Cam walked free from court even though a mum and two young children were among his victims.
Benjamiane Campbell, 20, sprayed Daniel Savory with the noxious liquid on his front doorstep in Dursley - but it also affected Savory's partner and their children aged seven months and two, Gloucester Crown Court heard.
Weeks before the incident Campbell had assaulted his girlfriend near Stroud railway station, the court was told.
Campbell, of Everlands, who has been in custody on remand since the pepper spray attack, pleaded guilty to affray, possession of a prohibited weapon and common assault on partner Emma Crowcombe.
Judge William Hart passed a jail term totalling 16 months but suspended it for a year and placed Campbell under supervision.
He said he was suspending the sentence because Campbell had already spent more than six months in custody and he believed he was now motivated to change his life for the better.
Prosecutor Mark Worsley said it was on April 14 that Campbell went to Savory's home in Rosebery Mount, Dursley, at 11am.
When Savory answered the door at the block of flats Campbell began spraying him. Savory turned to go back into the building and by that time his son Jaydon, two, had gone downstairs to the lobby to join his dad.
Savory's partner Jessica Henderson had followed her son downstairs to retrieve him, Mr Worsley said.
Suddenly Savory burst in with Campbell following and spraying him directly in the face.
Mr Worsley said Jessica gathered up her son and took him upstairs but both had been affected by the spray. So too had her baby Harley.
From her flat window Jessica shouted at Campbell and another man with him "What do you think you're doing."  Campbell walked back towards the flat and replied "It's your crackhead boyfriend."
He picked up a brick or rock and hurled it at the window and then threw a second missile at the children's bedroom window, which smashed.
In a statement, Jessica Henderson said both her children suffered badly from the effects of the spray and were coughing and sick.
Mr Worsley told the court Campbell's assault on Emma Crowcombe was in Stroud on March 3 this year.
The two were out socialising separately but bumped into each other and Campbell took offence at seeing Ms Crowcombe talking to another man.
Passing sentence Judge Hart said the pepper spray attack had been traumatic for Savory's family and the assault on his girlfriend had been 'deeply unpleasant'.
But he said that in view of an encouraging pre-sentence report and the fact that Savory had already served the equivalent of a one year sentence he would suspend the 16 months jail term.