Man threatened police with knife

A FANATICAL knife collector had to be tazered by police after he threatened an officer with a hunting knife.
Barry Cavanagh, 21, had built up an arsenal of weapons at his home consisting of two samurai swords, two hunting knives, a lock knife, a serrated knife and a cross bow.
Cavanagh, of Alder Crescent, Orford, Warrington was jailed for 16 months at the town’s Crown Court after admitting possessing offensive weapons and causing criminal damage.
He was also made subject of an anti-social behaviour order preventing him from owning any bladed weapons with a blade longer than 12 inches for the rest of his life.
David Jones, prosecting, said police were called to Cavanagh’s home after he scratched, slashed and smashed a neighbour’s car in the early hours of the morning.
They saw him thrusting a knife towards them in a downstairs window and he then opened the front door and began lunging with the knife towards a dog-handling officer.
Police managed to arrest him after tazering him twice and then found the other weapons in the house.
In an interview, Cavanagh told officers: “When I’m upset and angry, I want to do some damage.”
He referred to the knife he had brandished at the officers as his “Rambo knife.”
Simon Berkson, defending, said Cavanagh suffered with depression and was a loner often subjected to verbal bullying by others.
He had a fascination with knives and swords and had already had one collection of weapons destroyed by the courts a few years ago.
Judge David Hale told the defendant: “It is extremely worrying that you have this fascination with knives. It would be frightening to a police officer to be presented with a man brandishing a knife, particularly in the present climate.”