A young Birkenhead man who kept police at bay with an imitation gun during a nine hour stand-off has been jailed for four years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday (June 12) that police went to Jay Williams’ home in Alexandra Road in the early hours of March 16 this year after he had earlier threatened members of the public and bar staff outside the Platinum Bar in Birkenhead with a crow bar.

He had been drinking in the club and after leaving appeared agitated and went to his nearby Jaguar car and took a crowbar out of the boot, said Olivia Beesley, prosecuting.

After threatening those nearby he smashed the rear window of his own car and left the scene.

Police arrived at his home shortly at about 2.40 am and he ran inside and appeared at an upstairs window and began shouting that he was going to shoot the police.

He shouted "You f . . . ing maggot' and ‘I would rather put a bullet in your head.'

Miss Beesley said that Williams could be seen holding a black handgun which he kept swapping from hand to hand and he demanded a negotiator saying he did not want to kill someone.

But he did say he wanted to die and was going to put a bullet in someone’s head. Many of the officers at the scene said they had never been so scared.

CCTV footage was played to the court showing the start of the terrifying incident with Williams half hanging out of an upstairs window at his home hurling the abuse and threats.

Officers, who had got inside the house, sent for armed response officers on seeing him with the gun, said Miss Beesley.

Williams, 22, had painted the weapon, which turned out to be a BB gun, black to make it look more realistic, she said.

After negotiations Williams came out nine hours later and was taken to hospital for mental health reasons.

When interviewed he said he heard voices in his head and thought his medication had caused him to lose control.

Williams, who has previous convictions but never been jailed, pleaded guilty to affray, using an imitation firearm with intent and making a threat to kill.

His lawyer John Weate told the court about the defendant's traumatic childhood.

He had been put into foster care at the age of two and bonded with his foster father, who sadly died in 2017.

Williams, who appeared from prison via video link, wiped away tears when this was mentioned.

Mr Weate said the defendant had drink and drug issues but it had been a spontaneous incident and he did not seek to excuse his behaviour. He accepted he had a tendency to show violence.

"He has asked me to apologise for his behaviour", said Mr Weate.

Judge David Potter said that Williams had been in possession of a very realistic looking imitation gun and the incident had been “complex and highly stressful for the police.”

He told him, “Knowing you are susceptible to episodes like this you chose to drink."