ARMED police had to disarm a raging knifeman in York by knocking him over with their vehicle, a court heard.

Adam Craig Hudson was out of control with two kitchen knives in his hands in Danebury Drive, Acomb, when officers used the vehicle to disarm and control him.

The 23-year-old drink and drug user, of Danebury Drive, had thrown a knife at his mother after she asked him why money was missing from her purse.

Fortunately, she escaped injury, but his family twice had to make 999 calls for help as he raged in and outside their home. He threw a bag of empty beer cans at its door, smashed glass panels in a kitchen door and threatened to cut his own wrists.

The family, on police advice, tried to lock him outside. After his arrest, Hudson pulled bandages off his hands, tried several times to butt an officer and had to be restrained by police and paramedics.

As armed police with firearms ready approached him in the street outside his home, he yelled: "Guns are no good, you are going to have to shoot me, I'm not going to put the knives down."

Hudson's actions came after he had completed a punishment for mowing down and killing a pensioner by racing his motorcycle along a cycle path. Four years ago, he killed 77-year-old Jack Middleton by riding his motorcycle at 50mph up and down the cycle path linking Osbaldwick and York. He was given a 30-month sentence for killing Mr Middleton.

Yesterday, Hudson was jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to affray and two charges of carrying knives in public in Acomb.

"The police have got enough problems without having to deal with people like yourself," said the Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman.

Hudson's barrister Dan Cordey told York Crown Court, sitting in Leeds, that he wanted help with his drink and drugs problems and his temper. "Clearly on that day, he was out of control and had drunk too much alcohol," he said.

The court heard Hudson's father wanted him to get help rather than face court proceedings.

Prosecuting, Khadim Al'hassan said Hudson had been prescribed anti-depressants, but his mother was not sure he was taking them. His behaviour had got more and more threatening over the four months leading up to September 13 when his mother noticed the missing money and he threatened to "smash her face in".

Updated: 10:26 Tuesday, March 08, 2005