A MAN who threw knives at police who were trying to remove him from a house he had set alight has been jailed for six years.

Gary Francis Beck, a crack cocaine user from Little Sutton, admitted arson, affray and harassment.

Chester Crown Court heard the breakup of his relationship with Helen Ward led to him harassing her before starting the fire at her home in Maple Avenue.

Beck, 28, of Fullwood Mews, was with her for four years before splitting for good in September 2003.

Meirion Lewis-Jones, prosecuting, said Beck arrived at her home on December 29 and was refused entry.

He kicked and banged the door. When police were called, he threw a wooden pole through a kitchen window.

Beck told officers: 'Tell her she's got 24 hours to get out or I'll burn the house down.'

He was arrested and bailed. A harassment order was served on him but within 35 minutes he was on the phone to Jennifer Pattin, a friend of Miss Ward, and repeatedly told her to tell Miss Ward he was going to torch the house.

On January 2 at 7.45am, Beck turned up at Mr and Mrs Pattin's house in Ferguson Avenue, where Miss Ward was staying.

He banged on the door, threw a wooden pallet at Mr Pattin's Audi, causing £400 damage, and threatened to torch it.

Beck told Mrs Pattin he'd broken into the Maple Avenue property. Police attended to find Beck had turned the gas cooker on.

He leant out of the bedroom window, holding knives. He then told officers: 'The first one of you that comes in here is going to get it. I'll do 25 years for you. If you come in here I'll slice you up.'

Mr Lewis-Jones said a hail of missiles were thrown at police, including knives, one which glanced off an officer, as well as electrical items and other goods.

He set fire to a mattress in one of the bedrooms and smoke started to billow out of the house, forcing police to evacuate neighbours.

The gas supply was cut off and fire-fighters extinguished the blaze. At 9.30am he was finally persuaded to climb down a ladder.

Beck said he had drunk about 20 pints of beer plus 20 Bacardi and cokes, and took some cocaine.

He told police he'd been jealous because he thought Miss Ward had been seeing someone else, and had also been involved in an argument with a friend earlier on.

Judge Elgan Edwards issued a Crown Court Commendation to the police officers who handled the incident.

Robin Boag, defending, said: 'When Beck threw items at the police, his intention was not to harm them but to keep them back.'

Beck had a problem with drink and cocaine, recently crack cocaine.