A MAN who threatened to cut a police officer’s throat has avoided prison.

Joshua Dodd, of Marlborough Street, Faringdon, was convicted of assaulting a police constable in the execution of her duty after a trial at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

The 21-year-old also admitted breaching a suspended sentence when he appeared yesterday at Oxford Crown Court.

Joanna Durber, prosecuting, said the crime took place at Dodd’s home address at 11.30pm on March 4 after he had called the police himself.

She said the defendant was “drunk and incoherent” and seemed to want to make a complaint about people who had been in his flat.

But she told Recorder Clive Broe his home smelled of cannabis and he became aggressive when the officers tried to search him.

Nothing was found but when he was left alone with Pc Louise Williams he told her “I’m going to kill myself” and moved towards a large kitchen knife, Miss Durber said.

She added that after Pc Williams moved the weapon and tried to restrain Dodd he said to her: “Get your hands off or I’ll slit your throat”.

Jennifer Edwards, defending, said her client was “vulnerable” and had struggled with an alcohol addiction and a history of self-harming.

She added that he received a suspended sentence for two counts of fraud and one of theft committed in March and April 2011.

Recorder Broe gave Dodd a community order with 12 months of supervision, a course to help him manage his drinking, and 100 hours of unpaid work.