A THUG threatened to send police officers out of a home “in a body bag” during a home stand off.

In September this year, police received a worried phone call from residents of Rohstoff Close, Laindon, saying a couple in their house were having a huge row, with the man saying he was going to stab someone.

The man, Christopher Stephens, had been drinking during the day with his partner, and a heated row had broken out, believed to be over food.

Stephens, having realised the police had been called, then called them himself, screaming that if anyone came into the house they would “be coming out in a body bag, or I’m coming out in a body bag”.

Two police officers attended the scene on September 9 this year, where the 46-year-old was still shouting, saying he had a knife.

The police, armed with Tasers, kicked in the bedroom door and arrested Stephens at the scene.

The phone calls to police, as well as the shocking body cam footage from the attending officer, were played at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Prosecuting, Carolyn Gardiner said: “The defendant was co-operative as soon as police entered the room. He later stated that he never meant any of the threats to kill, but understood that it would have scared his partner.

“A knife was found on the floor of the room, but it is accepted that it was never picked up or used.

“A hit was given to his partner, there was blood at the scene and bruising that followed.

“In later reports to her GP she claimed her nose had been broken, but there is no medical evidence for that.”

Mitigating, Cyrus Shroff said: “This was clearly quite frightening for the police officers, but as soon as they entered he was compliant and made no threats to them.

“The defendant has been in a relationship with his partner on and off ten years, and he said he was suffering to an extent.

“He said he had just had enough. He knows he reacted badly, but he wanted to be arrested to be taken away from there.”

Stephens, of Bostocke Close, Laindon, later admitted making threats to kill and causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Samantha Leigh sentenced him to 31 months in prison for threats to kill and nine months for ABH, to run concurrently, totalling two years and seven months. He will be be subject to a restraining order against his ex partner for ten years.