A TEENAGER threatened a police officer with a knife in front of terrified bus passengers before turning the weapon on himself, a court heard.

Magistrate heard how Ryan James Hall, 18, had leapt on to the Arriva bus travelling through Penycae in a bid to escape pursuing officers who had executed a search warrant at his address.

When officers stopped and searched the bus they found Hall sitting behind the driver

But after telling him he was under arrest and apprehending him, the teenager pulled out a knife and began "waving" it at DS Andrew Hughes who was forced to release his grip on the defendant.

Hall then ran off the bus before placing the knife against his neck in an attempt to slit his own throat.

Hall, of Hill Close, Penycae, who was appearing in court after previously pleading guilty on April 2 to charges of common assault of an emergency worker and possessing a knife in a public place, was told by bench chairman Mike Jones that the magistrates had insufficient power to sentence him and he would be committed to appear for sentencing at the crown court.

Hill, 18, had also pleaded guilty on January 30 to one charge of making an indecent photograph of a child and a charge of possessing an extreme pornographic image of a person performing intercourse and oral sex with a horse and dog.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said officers had executed a search warrant at Hall's home address on the morning of February 15 but he had fled on foot before boarding the bus.

Not knowing the teenager was on the bus, DS Hughes had stopped the vehicle and on entering he saw Hall sitting behind the driver.

After grabbing the defendant, Hall drew a knife from his pocket causing DS Hughes to release his grip as it was waved towards him.

The officer pressed his panic button and others arrived to find Hall having exited the bus and threatening to cut his own throat which he attempted four times.

The knife turned out to be a plastic handled butter knife but Hall was able to use it to cause cuts to this throat before he was arrested.

A witness statement from the bus driver said Hall had pointed the knife at DS Hughes' chest and he was "in fear for the officer's safety as well as that of the two passengers on board who were terrified".

In a victim personal statement read by Mr Espie, DS Hughes said: "We do face the threat of violence but having a knife pulled on you and pressed towards you is not what you expect.

"I realise how lucky I was and when I spoke to my wife about it she cried."

Hall will return to Mold Crown Court on May 2 for sentencing and will remain the subject of a curfew between 7pm and 7am.