A KNIFE-BRANDISHING man threatened to cut off a police officer's head in a two-hour stand off.

Furness Magistrates' Court heard that Anthony Michael Grogan lunged at police with a knife and told one officer he knew where they lived and threatened he would "take their head off".

Grogan, 25, pleaded guilty to the affray at a house in Windermere on February 8, when he appeared at the Barrow court via video link from prison.

Prosecutor, Mr Lee Dacre, also told the court how a negotiator was used and how Grogan had thrown ornaments and a picture frame at the negotiator and officers during the prolonged incident, which had started at 5.50am.

Mr Dacre said police were at the property over a breach of a community order and Grogan had unleashed a "torrent of abuse".

The prosecutor said: "He brandished a knife at officers and held the knife to his own throat.

"He told officers he would kill them. He told one officer he knew where they lived and that he would take their head off."

Mr Dacre told the magistrates Grogan has a history of violence, mostly towards police officers and that it had been a serious incident with the knife brandishing, lunging at officers, the threats, throwing objects and the length of the event.

Grogan, of no fixed abode, had also admitted racially aggravated intentional harassment of PC De Silva Neto who Grogan called a "******* immigrant" and admitted damaging police handcuffs.

Mrs Suzie Kavanagh, defended Grogan in court and she was also called to the stand off.

Mrs Kavanagh said Grogan believed that he had meant to have been in court on another day so was puzzled at why officers were banging and shouting on the door. He thought they were there for someone else.

The solicitor said Grogan became upset because of his mental health as he has adult personality disorder.

She said: "There are incidents where his behaviour is out of control. There is a problem in confined spaces with police. He felt threatened by the officers. He reacted in that way because of the mental health condition he has."

Mrs Kavanagh said problems after the stand-off happened because Grogan was no longer to be booked in at Kendal but at Barrow instead.

She said he regrets his actions and had been doing "incredibly well" before this.

Mrs Kavanagh said something has to change when Grogan and police meet as he gets aggravated by police.

The case was committed to Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing on March 17. Grogan was remanded in custody.