A DISABLED have-a-go hero stepped in to rescue a young woman being threatened by man with a samurai sword, after police said they were too busy to help.

Mike McKenzie disarmed James Bray, who was brandishing the deadly weapon at a block of flats in Southend.

The drama unfolded at Sutton Court, in Cluny Square, Southend, following a row over a £10 debt.

Bray, 23, had been arguing with a woman who had come to collect the money at about 3.30pm on June 23.

He went into his flat, and came out with the 18in blade, saying “I’m not afraid to use it.”

Southend Magistrates’ Court heard he had long-standing mental health issues. He believed he was receiving low-frequency brain messages from the FBI and CIA.

However, brave Mr McKenzie was able to reason with him, before Bray handed himself in to police.

Mr McKenzie, 49, who is disabled and walks with a stick, lives at Sutton Court, two floors down from Bray.

He said: “It was kicking off. It had been going on for five or six minutes and I recognised his voice. I got my stick, put my high visibility jacket on which has got “security” emblazoned across it, and went upstairs.

“James had his shirt ripped open and had gone back into his flat to get this sword. It had been cut off into a point where the blade should curve.”

He rushed back to his flat and dialled 999 asking for an armed response unit, but was told no one was available to respond. So he hopped on his mobility scooter to drive down to Southend police station himself. But he said a sergeant told him they were too busy to come, so he went back to handle it himself.

He said: “I’ve gone up to see James and gained his confidence and sat in his flat. I said to him what he had done was absolutely disgusting. The police had been called and if they caught him with this weapon he would probably end up getting tasered.

“I said ‘you will have to give the sword to me and I will look after it’. He was dead against giving it to me, so I spent a couple of hours talking to him, and eventually he gave it to me.”

Eventually he went back to Southend Police station and handed the blade in – at least eight hours after the incident was first reported.

Bray then gave himself up. He appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon.

The court decided it was too serious for them to deal with, and he was bailed to appear at Basildon Crown Court on September 5.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “At the time this offence was reported, all local units were deployed on urgent priority calls in the area. Police established the victim of the threats was in another flat, safe and well.

“The offender then phoned police and asked to hand himself in, which he later did. He was then arrested, charged and has appeared in court.”

A PSYCHIATRIC report was prepared ahead of troubled James Bray’s sentencing.

The idea was to give an insight into his thinking, which could affect the judgment that is made.

It revealed he was suffering from a mental and behavioural disorder.

He regularly sees a psychiatric nurse and has a monthly injection to stabilise his mental disorder.

Prosecutor Lesley Chipps also told the court about issues Bray had revealed in a police interview.

She said: “He said he had had training from the FBI and CIA by low frequency brain control, but could not confirm this. He said he had the sword, it had been modified and he described it as being ‘battle ready’.”

However, the court heard he had no previous convictions, only a caution and a warning.

In mitigation, Roger Nield said his client felt he was being “bullied” and violence had been used against him.

He had got the sword because he wanted to deter people from attacking him any further.