A MAN who picked up a kitchen knife when police officers tried to arrest him could face a prison sentence, a judge has warned.Darren Miller, 21, formerly of Cobbold Road, Woodbridge, told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday that he was threatening to harm himself with the blade, not the officers.

A MAN who picked up a kitchen knife when police officers tried to arrest him could face a prison sentence, a judge has warned.

Darren Miller, 21, formerly of Cobbold Road, Woodbridge, told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday that he was threatening to harm himself with the blade, not the officers. But the jury found Miller guilty of affray.

Miller said he was scared when a group of officers arrived at his home with batons in the early hours of the morning.

He claimed picking up the knife was a cry for help and his way of letting officers know he would harm himself if they came near him.

Miller said: "I was trying to get the message across to them that I had done nothing wrong."

Judge Peter Thompson ordered a pre-sentence report and told the defendant: "Just because I am adjourning this case doesn't mean that you won't go to prison, as you may well. The report is going to help me decide what punishment is appropriate for you and the length of sentence if you were to go to prison."

Miller has been in custody since the incident on June 13. In a separate trial during August 2001 he was sentenced to six months in jail for three offences of thefts from motor vehicles. He also has a string of dishonesty and drug offences going back over the last four years.

Police were called out to a domestic dispute at Miller's flat at 3.30am on June 13 this year. When they arrived they found Miller standing in a darkened room with a knife, but the defendant said the knife was pointed at himself.

Miller admitted that he said: "I'm not going to let you arrest me. Try it and find out," to the officers – but denied it was a threat to their safety.

However, officers who arrived at the scene told the jury on Tuesday that they did fear for their own safety, and said Miller was waving the weapon around. Officers sprayed CS gas into the defendant's face so they could arrest him.

Miller's ex-partner Victoria Leversha phoned police in the early hours saying Miller had become violent and was threatening her.

She told the court on Tuesday he threatened to stab her in the eyes with a kitchen knife and had thrown her roughly against a radiator.

She also claimed he kicked her "as hard as if he was kicking a football" when she told him she was ending the relationship and tried to throw him out of the flat they shared.

Miller said he picked two knives from the kitchen drawer following a confrontation at his home with one of Miss Leversha's male friends who was threatening to go and get "geezers with guns".

Miller said: "I did it to make him feel scared and let him know if he came back I was ready to protect myself and my property."

He denied ever threatening Miss Leversha with the knife.

Miller was found not guilty of two other charges of actual bodily harm and common assault.