POLICE had to use a stun-gun on a man after he attacked his ex-girlfriend and threatened to cut his own throat with a knife, a court heard.

After hearing about the terrifying incident, a judge has decided not to send Daryl Piper, 20, of Septimus Drive, High Woods, Colchester, to jail right away.

Judge Anthony Goldstaub QC put off sentencing for five months to see how Piper would behave – with a warning he would face a long sentence if he offended again.

Piper attacked his ex after going to see his children last July, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

He had been drinking and grabbed his former partner by the throat and headbutted and punched the wall in the living room so hard his knuckles bled. He then climbed on to an upstairs window ledge and threatened to jump.

The court heard Piper then cut himself with a kitchen knife and ran out of the house with the knife held to his throat. Minutes later, police arrived, stunned Piper with a Taser gun and arrested him.

Piper’s lawyer, Roger Brice, told the court his behaviour was largely down to unresolved bad experiences from his childhood.

He said: “The only person he was seeking to harm was himself. There is no suggestion there was intention to harm anyone else.

“He is a troubled young man and there are clearly issues which need to be addressed and will not be addressed by an immediate custodial sentence.”

The court was told Piper had previous convictions for similar incidents involving knives, and had not touched alcohol for about three months. Judge Goldstaub told him: “If the police can tell me there has been no more disturbances, then I will pass a sentence which will not involve custody.

“But if there has been any trouble at all, he will be brought here and I will send him to prison for probably a year or more.”