A JUDGE has ordered psychiatric reports on a man who said he wanted to “stab a copper” before being arrested as he made his way towards Wrexham police station carrying a kitchen knife.

Defendant Matthew Smith, 40, of Ty Brian in Salop Road in Wrexham, had done it because he was not happy in the care home and wanted to go to prison.

On Friday he denied a charge of making a threat to kill but admitted carrying a kitchen knife at Bodhyfryd, Wrexham, on October 9.

His pleas were acceptable when prosecutor David Mainstone said that the defendant had threatened to stab a police officer in the leg, which was not a threat to kill.

Smith was remanded in custody pending sentence today but Judge Niclas Parry said psychiatric reports were needed first to see if a sentence under The Mental Health Act may be appropriate.

The judge said that he had read previous psychiatric reports on the defendant and the view of a psychiatrist who had been consulted took the view that threats, of various sorts which had been made, should be taken seriously.

John Hedgecoe, defending, said that his client had previously been assessed at LLanarth Court in Monmouthshire.

It was the intention to instruct the Scott Clinic to prepare a report on the defendant.

The judge remanded Smith in custody in the meantime.

He said that Smith’s presence could be excused on January 4 when it was expected that a second psychiatric report would be necessary, pending sentence at a future date.

The court heard that the defendant had previously been the subject of a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

Mr Hedgecoe told the earlier hearing he had not been happy living at the Ty Brian home.

In order to move he had broken windows and caused damage.

He had been assessed at Altcourse Prison and while there were no serious mental health difficulties he had leaning difficulties and a suggestion of hyper mania.

But he had calmed down a lot since being remanded in custody, Mr Hedgecoe said.

The defendant had been released from prison the day before and had an appointment with the probation service.

But he said that there was no point in the meeting and that he was going to “stab a copper” so that he could go to back to prison.

He went to the kitchen, picked up a knife and left the premises.

A member of probation staff contacted the police and reported that he was walking in the direction of the police station.

Officers challenged him close to the station and he threw the knife to the floor.

The knife was seized and interviewed, he said that he had done it because he wanted to go back to prison.