A man who wanted police to shoot him during a four-hour armed siege in Huddersfield has been given a community order.

Gareth Cowie, 31, of Hall Cross Grove, Lowerhouses, triggered a huge police response involving many armed officers when he made threats involving firearms and explosives in a phone call to police.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court heard how the trouble started on the afternoon of March 6.

The defendant’s partner had split up with him, he had begun drinking alcohol and looking at photographs of two children who were both stillborn.

Prosecutor, Andy Wills, said he spent 47 minutes on the phone to an operator.

During the call he said: “I have got a gun. I am going to shoot somebody.”

Mr Wills said he claimed to have taken more than 40 tablets in an overdose attempt though this turned out to be incorrect. Mr Wills said: “He said he had no-one else in his life apart from his two dogs.”

He said the defendant, who has mental health problems, said: “Let’s see if I die from an overdose or by the police. I want the police to do it for me.”

Dozens of police officers sealed off the streets around his home, keeping people from their homes. Eventually Cowie gave himself up to the police and in his interview said he regretted making the call as soon as he ended it.

Mr Wills said he accepted that he could have simply contacted his GP, NHS Direct or Social Services if he needed help.

He added that the defendant, who pleaded guilty to wasting police time at a previous hearing, had 29 offences and had last troubled the courts in 2012 when he assaulted a barmaid.

In mitigation, Sonia Kidd, said: “This is clearly a gentleman who needs some support.”

The bench sentenced him to a high-level community order for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity order of 50 days plus court costs of £145 and a fine of £100 payable at £10 per fortnight.