A WOMAN who threatened armed police with a fake handgun during a four-hour siege in York walked free from court this afternoon.

Dawn Ann-Marie Cain, 35, clapped her hands in delight in the dock at York Crown Court as the honorary recorder of York suspended a two-year prison term for two years.

But Judge Paul Hoffman told her to behave herself, warned her she would serve the sentence if she committed any other offence in the next 24 months, and added a 12-month supervision order.

"Leave the dock and try to do so with dignity," he said at the end of the case.

Earlier, he had told her: "You are an alcoholic and you have a personality disorder. It makes you act impulsively. You are something of a risk to yourself and to others," the judge told her.

He added that she was lucky not to have been injured during the siege of her home on February 21.

"You pointed a gun, albeit an imitation firearm, at police. They took cover and went into a full armed response situation. This is not uncommon these days. People like you, perhaps with personality disorders, do this sort of thing and then when they got shot by the police there is a complaint raised," said the judge.

Cain, of Starkey Crescent, Tang Hall, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to make others fear unlawful violence.

Tom Mitchell, prosecuting, said emergency doctor Alexander McPhee was called out to Cain at 2.15am on February 21.

She told him she had been drinking, said people were out to kill her and appeared to be hallucinating.

When she produced a 10-inch knife, the doctor became concerned for her welfare, left and called police. When they arrived, Cain was at her front door waving a BB repeater toy gun that looked very realistic.

At the time of the siege, neighbours described the scene as like something from a TV programme.

Police cars and vans lined the street after Cain appeared at her door brandishing what appeared to be a handgun.

Officers carrying riot shields and wearing body armour eventually stormed the house and sent in an Alsatian dog before entering themselves, handcuffing Cain and taking her away for questioning.

For Cain, Taryn Turner said she had been drinking heavily because the next day she was to give a witness statement to the police. Detectives were now investigating her allegations and taking them seriously.

She had had a difficult childhood and had a history of psychiatric problems and alcohol abuse. But many people were supporting her and about a dozen had attended court to help her.

Updated: 15:08 Wednesday, July 03, 2002