'Erratic' man armed with meat cleaver who spat at police during 23-hour stand-off is jailed
A man who threatened police with a meat cleaver and an imitation handgun during a stand-off lasting 23 hours has been jailed for two years and one month.
Jake Farmer, who also spat at an officer, had become "increasingly erratic" in the lead up to September 9 last year before police were called to Hodnet Drive, Pensnett, a court heard.
The 36-year-old had been overheard by neighbours shouting things like "I'm going to f***ing kill you all" at around 10.30pm, prompting the call to the force.
Mr Jamie Scott, prosecuting, said the defendant was seen in the first floor window of his address on the road shouting at officers and refusing them entry.
"He was seen to wave a meat cleaver and made gestures towards police officers, and moved the meat cleaver to his own neck to indicate he would use this on the police officers' necks," the barrister told Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday.
The defendant was heard shouting things like "I will cut your f***ing head off" and made reference to a machete, and had shown police a bag of white power which led them to believe he was on cocaine.
He made "gun gestures" and pointed in turn to the officers present, before producing what appeared to be a "silver handgun" to continue this which led police officers to run to safety and await firearms colleagues, a judge heard.
Victim impact statements from the four police officers at the scene, described how they were fearful of their lives – with one mentioning they had never had a "firearm" pointed at them during their 14 years of service.
Farmer threw the imitation firearm from the window along with the meat cleaver as the incident, which lasted 23 hours, was brought to a close at 9.30pm the following day through use of a Taser.
Mr Scott said whilst the defendant was being taken to hospital his behaviour remained "abusive and aggressive" and saw him make sexually lewd gestures to the officers, shouting "shut up you b***h and made various threats" before spitting on an officer.
The imitation firearm was recovered and found to be a BB gun with missing components, which wasn't a live weapon but would have been capable of firing ball-bearings if it was fully working, the court heard.
Farmer, who was interviewed on September 12 last year, gave an account to police that he had survived a "brutal attack" by "fake police or real police" who tried to attack him, and claimed an attack took place in the ambulance and he spat to "deposit his DNA on whoever was trying to kill him".
Ms Sharon Bailey, defending, said the 36-year-old "remains appalled by his own behaviour" and he finds it very difficult to accept his actions which he is remorseful for, with the incident "somewhat out of character". She said his behaviour had been impacted by a family issue, the breakdown of a relationship, and the death of a close friend.
The court heard a psychiatric report had revealed the defendant, who admitted the charges against him at an earlier hearing, had ingested a "substantial amount of cocaine and brandy" and had suffered a "psychotic episode" whilst having moderate depression.
Judge John Butterfield KC sentenced Farmer, 36 and of Hodnet Drive, Pensnett, to two years for each of four offences of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence which will run concurrently with a further month for assault of an emergency worker.
A restraining order was granted to "protect" his neighbours which will last for five years, with a deprivation order imposed in relation to the meat cleaver and imitation firearm.
