Benedict Cumberbatch: family house attacked with wife Sophie Hunter and children inside by Jack Bissell

The North London house of Hollywood star Benedict Cumberbatch and his family was broken into by a man brandishing a knife, a court has heard.

The 46-year-old Sherlock actor was inside his £3.5 million London property with his wife Sophie Hunter and three children when a former cook forced his way inside the house's gates.

According to reports, 35-year-old Jack Bissell, broke into the home, destroyed property and screamed at the family. There are no suggestions that Bissell and the Oscar contender had any prior ties.

What happened?

Bissell reportedly tore an intercom off a wall with a fish knife and made verbal threats towards Cumberbatch and his family. According to testimony given in court, the man yelled, "I know you've moved here, I hope it burns down." Cumberbatch heard Bissell shouting as he forced his way into the garden.

Hunter and Cumberbatch began dating in 2014 and got engaged later that year. They tied the knot on 14 February 2015 in a private ceremony on the Isle of Wight. The couple has since welcomed three children together.

Before heading to the actor's home, the prosecution said Bissell purchased two packets of pita bread from a nearby shop and shouted at the shopkeeper that he planned to break into Cumberbatch's home and set it on fire.

It's also alleged that the luxury hotel chef ripped a plant from the garden and tossed it at a wall. Bissell eventually left the area, but was later apprehended by police who had found his DNA on the intercom, the court heard. The motive behind Bissell's targeting of the Oscar nominee is unclear, and he made no defence in court.

Has Bissell been sentenced?

Earlier this month, Bissell pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Wood Green Crown Court. He was issued a £250 fine and a three-year restraining order prohibiting him from going near the Cumberbatch family or the neighbourhood in which they reside.