A KNIFE-WIELDING dad-of-ten who had to be tasered for his own safety after taking a cocktail of Valium and alcohol has narrowly avoided prison.

Recorder Michael Vere Hodge, sitting at Winchester Crown Court last week, told defendant Stephen Mackie that he was not giving him a “soft option” when he sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, following a rumpus at Turin Court in July.

Mackie, of Turin Court, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place as well as possession of a quantity of cannabis after officers were called to a disturbance.

The court heard that when police attended the scene they found the 29-year-old shouting and wielding a knife in front of a crowd of onlookers, before running into the flat and barricading himself in.

Matthew Lawson, prosecuting, said: “The defendant could be heard shouting, banging and crashing. Several times he came to the kitchen window and was seen throwing things at the window, pulling down a Venetian blind and making threats to harm himself should they [the police] enter the property 

“He was seen to pick up a large carving knife and went towards the rear of the property.

“The defendant was then seen by officers to raise a knife to his own throat.”

After he was heard to say he had “nothing to live for” the officers at the scene decided to enter the property and taser him for his own safety.

He was arrested and two kitchen knives were seized.

Mr Lawson continued: “The defendant was interviewed by the police the following day.

“He said he had been drinking that day and he had no recollection of what he had done.”

When he was told about what he had done he described his own behaviour as a “f****** disgrace”.

He appeared in Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court a few days later and was remanded in custody until his release on Friday.

Mr Lawson further told the court that Mackie had 12 previous convictions for 24 offences under Scottish law, including possession of a bladed article.

Defending Mackie, Daniel O’Donoghue described how the defendant had suffered from drug addiction in the past and that he and his partner had moved to Andover from Scotland to get clean and begin a new life.

Asking Mr Vere Hodge to consider a suspended prison sentence, Mr O’Donoghue told the court that Mackie has a job which he needs to support his 10 children in Scotland and that he has been taking Valium for ongoing back problems and sciatica.

Telling the court how the defendant had shown “great shame and remorse” at his behaviour, he said: “At one point he held a knife to his throat and it seems that the only one put in danger was himself rather than the officers who attended.”

Passing the suspended sentence with the requirements of a rehabilitation activity and a thinking skills programme, Mr Vere Hodge told Mackie: “I have considered with great care whether I should sentence you immediately to prison.

“I have just been persuaded by what has been said in the pre-sentence report. This is not a soft option, it is an important sentence.”