A BARE-CHESTED man wielded two kitchen knives during a jealous rage, screaming at police to Taser him outside his ex's house.
The frightening incident involving Ashleigh Booth was captured on a body worn police camera which shows the shirtless defendant shouting, swearing and stamping his feet as he holds the blades in both outstretched hands.
The 25-year-old of Ivy Lane, Bretforton, had already been convicted of criminal damage and two offences of possession of a knife in public when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.
Booth was in breach of his bail conditions when he arrived at the home of his ex-partner, Abbie Williams, in Snaffle Way, Evesham on September 17 last year following the breakdown of their relationship.
The footage was played to the court which shows the topless Booth screaming 'I have lost my kid, I have lost my relationship', swearing and shouting 'hit me with it!' in reference to the Taser.
An officer tells Booth to 'relax' and to 'calm down' before he shouts 'get on the floor!' The red Taser dot can he seen on the defendant's body but he discards the knives, gets on his knees and is handcuffed without it being deployed.
John Brotherton, prosecuting, said before the incident Booth had climbed in Miss Williams's window at 1am, waking her up and telling her he wanted to 'sort out their relationship' despite a bail condition not to have contact with her.
Mr Brotherton said: "He went downstairs, saw a note which was from somebody else to her and became jealous." Booth punched a door which was damaged and picked up two kitchen knives as Miss Williams fled the property through a window. A neighbour and Miss Williams called police.
Booth had two previous convictions for violence against a different former partner, each resulting in a suspended sentence.
Alec Small, defending, said it was good that the footage had been played as this gave an insight into the defendant's mindset. He said: "This is, in his own words, a complete mental breakdown.
"His relationship had ended. He had lost his job and lost all access to his young son and he lost it. The video shows how out of control he was."
Mr Small said at one stage on the video Booth asked officers to loosen his handcuffs because he had cut his wrists and argued that he complied with officers 'fairly quickly, without argument'. He said: "It's bravado on the whole."
Mr Small told the court his client had a part-time job at a manufacturing company and would be employed full-time if he was not sent to custody. He said of his client: "He's frankly a little bit immature for his age."
Judge Nicolas Cartwright ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the two knives and put in place a restraining order to prevent him having contact with Miss Williams.
Judge Cartwright said possession of a knife in public was always serious because of the inherent risks.
He told Booth: "Many a murder or manslaughter or wounding case begins in a way just like this."
Judge Cartwright also told Booth that previous court disposals had not deterred him from his actions in September. The judge jailed him for six months, less the time spent on a qualifying curfew.
The sentence also reflects a one third discount for his early guilty pleas.
Booth can expect to serve half this sentence in custody and the remaining half in the community on licence.
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