A MAN spotted with a knife at a bus stop in the early hours was trying to take his own life and was bleeding, a court heard.

Suicidal and 'drunk' Daniel French, 26, who had taken three blades out with him, lifted a knife up in front of him and made a jabbing motion after a police officer tried to get him to drop it.

He was Tasered and when he was taken to the police station was upset, bleeding from his left wrist and was taken to hospital, Burnley Crown Court was told.

French told police when interviewed he had felt low, had started slicing at his wrist and had cut his arm more than five times.

The defendant has 11 offences on his record, including robbery and had ended up in court after a ‘similar sort of self-harm incident’ in 2012.

French, of Newport Street, Nelson, admitted three counts of possessing a bladed article and had been committed for sentence by magistrates.

He was given a community order with 18 months supervision by a judge who told him: “It's quite clear you do need help and I am going to try to see if you can be helped.”

Recorder Philip Curran added: “You became depressed when you had been drinking. I think it would be a good idea if you stopped drinking.”

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said at 3.20am, on January 6, a police officer received a communication that a person was said to be self-harming with a knife at a bus stop on Walton Lane, Nelson.

He went there and shouted to the defendant to drop the knife. He didn't and a second request was made.

French turned round, faced the officer, was muttering something he couldn't understand and made some sort of jabbing motion.

Mr Parker said the defendant dropped the blade after being tasered and it was recovered.

A search of the bus stop area revealed two more knives hidden on the ground.