A MAN who goaded police officers with a taunt of “catch me if you can” later threatened to kill himself and a member of the public, a court heard.

Appearing at North East Wales’ Magistrates, Mark Anthony McEvoy was handed a suspended sentence of 20 weeks following a string of incidents in winter last year which Mr Stubbs described as “very nasty”.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, said North Wales Police received a call on November 28 from a team of mental health workers to say the defendant had called them asking to speak to an individual member of staff otherwise he was going to stab himself and somebody else..

McEvoy pleaded guilty to charges of using threatening / abusive / insulting words / behaviour with intent to cause fear of / provoke unlawful violence, sending a letter / communication / article conveying a threatening message, possessing a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place and racially / religiously aggravated fear / provocation of violence by words / writing.

Brian Cross, defending, said his client had a number of mental and physical problems and was “clearly under considerable distress”.

For possession of the knife, McEvoy was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody to run consecutively with an eight week sentence for using threatening behaviour.

Mr Stubbs also imposed a 12 week sentence for the racially aggravated offence and an eight week sentence for the threatening phone call.

All sentences were suspended for 18 months and McEvoy will also have to carry out a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR).