A DRUNK man brandished weapons and made chilling threats to slit the throats of police during a lengthy stand-off at his Windermere home.

Remus Cutea, a 36-year-old former member of the Romanian Armed Forces, initially dialled 101, at 9am on November 30, telling a call handler he wanted help to stop him killing someone.

Officers attended his Claife Avenue home and tried to engage with Cutea through an upstairs window. But after he made sword harm threats, armed police responded and the street was cordoned off.

“He was drunk and appeared to be drinking from a bottle of vodka,” prosecutor Tom Challinor told Carlisle Crown Court.

“He told the police he would kill them if they tried to come in, and also that he would kill them if they made him come out.

“There then followed a protracted stand-off lasting about 11 hours between the defendant and trained crisis negotiators.

“During the negotiation, he repeated that he had a sword in his house, that he had guns and that he had booby-trapped the address.

“He also produced various knives at the window and a metal chain, both of which he brandished at the officers at various points.

“He made threats to slit the throats of officers while waving a meat cleaver which he was banging on a window frame.

“His level of aggression was described as ‘unreal’ with him foaming at the mouth and punching the walls.

"His behaviour was described as moving from very aggressive to very upset while he was referring to his personal circumstances - the fact he had lost his job, broken up with his girlfriend and missing his home country of Romania.”

Cutea became tired, was exhausted and apologetic when the incident ended and spoke of suffering an 'alcohol-related blackout'.

An illegal stun gun was found in his room.

He had been on bail following an altercation in September while working at the Lake View Garden Bar in Bowness.

After being sent home, Cutea sent a torrent of threatening texts to his boss, vowed to break every bone in his body, and spat at security staff when he returned to the premises.

Cutea later admitted affray, possessing a prohibited weapon, sending electronic communications with intent to cause distress and anxiety, and assault.

Richard Haworth, defending, said he had sunk to an all-time low and been drinking to excess amid a raft of personal problems.

“He is a very distressed man,” said Mr Haworth, who described the conduct as 'highly out of character'.

“He is acutely aware of what he caused and the fear that he put into people," he said.

Jailing Cutea for 16 months, Judge Simon Medland said: “This was a terribly serious episode which was wholly unacceptable.”