[A] CARLISLE man who brandished a sword at police and then repeatedly fired an air rifle at them has been jailed for 20 months.
Stephen Paul Lands, 33, turned violent after officers went to his Borrowdale Gardens home in the city on March 9.
Lands – high on alcohol and cannabis – initially brandished a large sword which he then used to pierce the tyres of a squad car as police retreated.
After returning to his flat, he then pointed an air weapon out of a window which he fired up to seven times, forcing shocked officers to desperately take cover.
Carlisle Crown Court heard there was no evidence of any pellets being inside the BSA Supersport .22 air rifle at the time. However, one PC later spoke of fearing for his life, while a junior special constable was profoundly affected, and described being “very shaken” and feeling “emotionally overwhelmed”.
Lands was handed a prison sentence today (WED). He had admitted an assault, threatening another with the sword, damaging property, cannabis possession and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The court heard Lands wished to apologise to the officers involved. His lawyer, Tariq Khawam, conceded: “It is fortuitous that no person was harmed, and I accept this would have been a frightening incident for the police officers.”
