A racist drove his neighbour out of his home after a long-running feud, a court has heard.
Marcus Fortune, 48, taunted Eunis Abebe with abuse telling him to go back to his own country.
But Fortune was let off with a suspended sentence after admitting using “terrible” racist language on his victim’s doorstep.
Mr Abebe was saying his evening prayers when he and wife Tina heard “strange scratching sounds” on their front door.
Mrs Abebe went out to find Fortune in the communal entrance to her flat in Elliots Town, New Tredegar, and filmed him on her mobile phone.
The court heard Fortune shouted at her: “Why are you filming me you slag?”
When her husband came to the door Fortune swore at him using racial insults and said: “Go back to your own country you black…”
Prosecutor Andrew Kendall said: “Fortune was bouncing up and down on his toes as if ready to fight.
“The alarmed couple saw a Stanley knife fall out of his trouser pocket.”
Fortune admitted causing racially aggravated fear of provocation of violence at the couple’s home on July 20 last year.
The court heard he had previous convictions for 112 offences, including violence and drug crimes.
Gareth Williams, defending, said: “There have been a number of issues between these neighbours for a number of years.
“The victims in this case moved out four weeks after the incident.
“It’s regrettable when people lose their temper – that’s what happened. He lashed out with words which are wholly unacceptable.”
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Fortune cares for his elderly mother and relies financially on his partner who was in court to support him.
Fortune nodded in agreement from the dock as the judge gave him a six-month sentence, suspended for a year.
Judge Nicola Jones told him: “Your behaviour is entirely inappropriate in society and so serious the custodial threshold has been passed.
“I have uplifted the sentence to reflect the terrible nature of your language – it was really very nasty and on the victim’s doorstep.”
Fortune, of Hengoed, was ordered to pay court costs of £500.