A ROBBER attempted to pour boiling water onto police as they tried to arrest him following a siege at his home.

Greater Manchester Police’s tactical aid unit had to be called in and Vernon Street, Halliwell was sealed off as Anthony Berry hurled tins of beans and other items out of his terraced home.

Bolton Crown Court heard how the officers had gone to the property to arrest 30-year-old Berry on May 25 last year after a taxi driver was robbed of his car and Berry had attempted to rob another man.

Hugh Barton told how officers, armed with a taser, heard “manic screaming and banging” coming from inside the flat. “Various items were heard to hit the door then they heard a crack and a hissing sound and, as a result, the officers retreated, fearing for their safety,” he said.

“The street had to be closed off for the protection of the public and the police spoke to the defendant through the window, during which he made threats to “cut them up”. He also told them he had lots of weapons in his flat and would “stab them in the face”.

Berry then began banging on the window with a vodka bottle, which he hurled into the street at the officers.

“He also began to throw paint out of the window which landed in the street and on his neighbour’s wall as well as items such as glass bottles, tins of beans, aftershave bottles, coffee jars and the like,” said Mr Barton.

But when the Tactical Aid Unit arrived to enter the property Berry grabbed a kettle of boiling water.

He poured what appeared to be boiling water out of the window, down to where the officers were below.

Sgt Helen Hogan, who was directing the operation, jumped out of the way and narrowly missed being hit by the water.

“I am satisfied it was your intention to cause injury to the police officers,” Recorder Mark Ford told Berry, as he sentenced him to six years in prison plus a further three years on licence.

The siege came just days after Berry had been given a community order following a disturbance at his flat in March when he had ripped off roof tiles and flung them and other items, at police in the street.

On May 25 police went to arrest Berry again after he had burst into victim Joseph Bigland’s flat in nearby St George’s Road, armed with a wooden pole and attempted to rob a television.

On May 3 Berry had also robbed taxi driver Mustaq Yakubadam of his Toyota Verso. The court heard how Mr Yakubadam had collected Berry from Vernon Street in the early hours of the morning but almost immediately, the passenger had become aggressive, demanding he had over his phone.

Berry, who appeared to have been taking drugs and drinking, hit the dashboards and tried to punch Mr Yakubadam, who then stopped the car near The Holiday Inn in Bolton.

But Berry then got out of the car, and walked round to the driver’s side, punching Mr Yakubadam in the face and pulling him out of the car.

Berry drove off, zig zagging along the road and the car was found near the cemetery off Bury Road that morning.

Berry pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery, assaulting a police officer, affray and criminal damage.

David Morton, defending, said the defendant had struggled with drink and drugs.

“He was in a very dark place, unable to resist the temptations,” he said.