TASERS were fired at a suicidal man who threatened to stab 999 workers and cut the gas to his home.

Police officers were called to help paramedics attempting to treat Penhill man Gary Joseph Gunning.

When they arrived at around 7.20pm on August 13, the 34-year-old dad could be seen through the window of his Penhill Drive home carrying a large kitchen knife and threatening to stab anyone who came near him.

Gunning also shouted obscenities and threatened to cut the gas lines to his house, prosecutor Keith Ballinger said.

On the advice of the fire brigade, houses either side of Gunning’s were evacuated.

Police officers finally managed to persuade Gunning to open his back door. He was still carrying a kitchen knife and threatened the officers. Police tasered the man in order to detain him.

Gunning was taken to hospital, where he was aggressive towards NHS staff and tried to remove monitoring equipment from his body. He was restrained by police, but Gunning spat at PC Jamie Goode, hitting the officer in the face.

“In interview he said he couldn’t recall all the events,” said Mr Ballinger. “He wanted to kill himself. He wanted to be shot.”

'He accepts he's caused an inconvenience'

Gunning pleaded guilty to affray and assault on a police constable.

Defending, Mark Glendenning said his client apologised for his actions: “He fully accepts his behaviour has caused a great deal of inconvenience.”

He told magistrates Gunning had suffered from poor mental health, for which he was prescribed medication.

The father-of-two had argued with his partner over an alleged affair. The shock had caused him to become suicidal, Mr Glendenning said.

Magistrates adjourned the case to September 5 for a pre-sentence report. Gunning was remanded in custody.

  • The Samaritans are available to help anybody in distress and can be reached at any time of the day or night free on 116 123 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.

Force to issue spit and bite guards to police officers

Wiltshire Police last week highlighted the impact on their officers of assaults, such as spitting.

Chief Constable Kier Pritchard said he was issuing officers with spit and bite guards, as well as giving them extra training in unarmed combat.

The spit and bite guards are effectively a mask or mesh hood that catches spittle.

Mr Pritchard said: “As a force we are now working on introducing additional measures to ensure that our officers have increased protection going forward and are adequately supported when they become victims themselves.”

The pressures on police officers had changed in the 25 years he had been working for Wiltshire Police, he added. Now chief constable, Mr Pritchard started as constable in Swindon in 1993 when he was just 19-years-old.

He said: “I can remember being verbally abused, there being a bit of spitting and pushing but I never needed medical treatment. There was not the same level of hostility back then.”

Now, he speaks to assaulted officers on a daily basis: "Facing this type of treatment simply because you work for the police is disgraceful and there should be no excuse or tolerance of it."