FIREARMS officers had to taser a drug-fuelled man waving a large carving knife on a Bradford street, a court was told.

Bare-chested Paul Coles was brandishing the weapon and clutching a fire extinguisher in his other hand when the police arrived at Oak Lane, Manningham, on the evening of June 15.

Homeless Coles, a known troublemaker in Bradford city centre, refused to drop the knife and lashed out at officers with his fists and feet after they had used the taser on him, prosecutor Philip Walters told Bradford Crown Court.

Coles, 30, was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to having an offensive weapon, namely a knife, in a public place, using threatening behaviour towards members of the public, obstructing the police and possession of a small bag of cocaine.

Mr Walters said that firearms officers got between Coles and member of the public to protect them from him.

When he refused to drop the knife he was subdued by the taser but still managed to kick an officer in the head when he was being apprehended.

Coles, who was sentenced on a video link to Leeds Prison, was under the influence of drugs at the time and declined to answer any questions from the police.

He was remanded in custody until the sentencing hearing.

He had a string of convictions for causing trouble in the city centre, including repeated breaches of a Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from the centre of Bradford.

Coles' barrister, Camille Morland, said he had been homeless for three years.

He was on drugs and had no clear recollection of committing the offences.

He did not set out to hurt anyone and could not explain what he was doing with the knife.

Coles had suffered from depression and Attention Deficit Disorder, Miss Morland said.

Judge Jonathan Rose said Coles was heavily under the influence of drugs that day and had posed a real threat to people on the street.

"The public is entitled to be protected from you," he told him.