A DEFENDANT who told York magistrates he would 'put a bullet between the eyes' of a police detention officer has been jailed for 12 months.

York Crown Court was told that alcoholic Mark Greensmith did not withdraw the chilling threat when he was later interviewed by police.

He said it would happen when he was released, claiming it was 'not a threat but a fact,' and adding: "It's called retribution."

Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, said that Greensmith, 37, of no fixed address, had been appearing at York Magistrates Court last month, accused of being drunk and disorderly, when his disruptive behaviour had led the bench to send him down to the cells on two occasions.

When he returned, he picked a piece of paper out of his pocket and gave the name and collar number of a detention officer, PC Benjamin Hepworth - who also serves as a Special Constable - and said he would 'put a pullet between his eyes.'

She said that when the officer and his wife heard of the threat, it had caused extreme distress and fear.

Kevin Blount said in mitigation that it had been a rather isolated incident involving a man with a long history of alcoholism, for whom drug addiction - involving cocaine - had taken over as his biggest issue.

He said Greensmith was not likely to be able to produce a firearm to carry out such a threat and credit should be given for having pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, said people sometimes made such threats in general terms in the heat of the moment but then apologised and withdrew the threats, but this was quite different, and 'particularly sinister.'

He said it was a 'somewhat chilling' threat, directed against a specific individual who was just doing his job.

The judge said that because of the 'extremely worrying words,' he was also imposing a restraining order preventing any contact between Greensmith and the officer, which also meant that if he made any further threat, he could be jailed for up to five years.

Greensmith, who appeared by video link from prison, was given a reduced jail sentence of 12 months because he had pleaded guilty.