POLICE had to be called to disarm a man who was threatening to harm himself, a court heard yesterday.

Roy Gibbs, 43, pleaded guilty to three offences of possessing knives in a public place.

Peter Scott, prosecuting, said Gibbs, of North Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire, had been brandishing a kitchen knife with a ten-inch blade in North Street, close to Ripon police station, on July 14.

He was taken to Harrogate District Hospital, but discharged himself within three hours.

Ten days later, police had to take an eight-inch blade from him in the same area and early in August, Gibbs was found in a petrol station shop, also in North Street, with a small kitchen knife in his trouser pocket.

In mitigation, Geoffrey Rogers said Gibbs, who had spent the past three weeks in custody awaiting sentence, would not have used the knives to attack or threaten people.

His sole aim had been self-harm so that he could be taken to the mental health unit at the district hospital.

"He did not want to be at home on his own and felt the unit was the best place for him," said Mr Rogers.

"But he didn't get his wish as the court bailed him the first time he appeared and then remanded him in custody.''

He said he had served the equivalent of a six-week sentence while on remand and now needed help rather than further time behind bars.

After studying probation and psychiatric reports, Harrogate magistrates put Gibbs on probation for two years.