A MAN who threatened to kill police with an eight-inch bread knife has been given a four-month prison sentence.

Julian Slaney, 25, was locked up for 16 weeks after appearing at Hyndburn Magistrates' Court, where he had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to affray.

He was also given an eight-week concurrent sentence for offending while on bail.

Slaney, of Barnes Street, Clayton-le-Moors caused havoc after a domestic incident involving his girlfriend and another man led him to charge onto the nearby M65 motorway.

Police had been called to his house where they tried to speak to him.

But he hurled abuse at them and jumped on to a windowsill, brandishing the knife and shouting: "I will stick you with this."

He threatened to kill the officers and himself and, while police called for back-up, he escaped through the back door and was seen running along the motorway hard-shoulder.

Police dog handlers were called to the scene and Slaney - who had already been electronically tagged and given a 7pm to 7am curfew - was arrested.

He appeared before the court two weeks ago when David Hartley, prosecuting, said Slaney had charged across the motorway carriageway, endangering not only his life but those of officers and motorists.

And despite being handcuffed Slaney tried to attack the officers.

Mr Hartley added: "He was apprehended and handcuffed and taken to the side of the motorway. He was still clearly aggravated and twice attempted to swing his head around and headbutt the officers. He tried to bite them, spat at them and was generally quite abusive."

The hearing was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report and Slaney was given conditional bail.

But at his return appearance in court, magistrates decided a custodial sentence was the only appropriate punishment.