A man who sparked an armed deployment after telling a police officer that he had a gun and was going to kill people has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Connor Grant, of Balmoral Road in Bristol, was brought in custody to Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 18th February.
Prosecutor Maree Doyle told the court that Grant, who had been released from prison after a licence recall, had built up a relationship with his offending manager in Avon & Somerset Police.
Grant had called him on Monday 16th February, saying words to the effect that he’d had enough and couldn’t take any more.
The officer thought Grant was drunk or under the influence of something. Grant said he had a gun and was going to go to the job centre and would “kill them all”. He said he could not cope with being on the outside and preferred the walls of a prison.
The officer tried to calm him down, and the firearms team was alerted and deployed.
Grant, who’s 34, was arrested. No weapon was found.
At his court appearance, Grant pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill, which had caused his offending manager to fear he may carry out that threat.
Duty solicitor Mark O’Donnell, representing Grant, said he’d had a psychotic episode and has been struggling, having had limited support since leaving prison.
Despite recalls to prison for licence breaches, Grant had no further convictions since being given a four-year jail sentence in 2016.
Grant addressed the magistrates himself, saying he had been banned from every doctors’ practice in the South West and has to go to Swindon to see one.
He said what had happened was “my fault entirely”, and he felt bad for his partner who was sitting in the court.
Magistrates gave Grant a 40-week prison sentence but suspended it for 12 months. They made no order for prosecution costs or compensation, but ordered him to pay a £187 court surcharge.
The bench said they were pleased to see him being supported by his partner and hoped he could get suitable medical support.
As he left the dock, Grant told them: “Thank you, you won’t see me again.”
