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A Chesterfield woman has been jailed following a public stand-off with police when she armed herself with a seven-inch kitchen knife during a “mental health episode”.

Heather Bradley, 42, was tasered by officers outside her home after walking towards them with the blade behind her back, Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard.

Prosecutor Lynn Bickley described how on August 2 Bradley phoned police saying she was going to “kill someone”.

Ms Bickley said: “Police attended the address - she was on the top floor apartment shouting ‘go away’ at officers.

Heather Bradley, 42, was tasered by officers outside Arcam House, North Wingfield

“She disappeared and could be heard talking to herself in the flat. Police opened the ground floor door and then the defendant appeared with her left hand behind her back.

“She refused to remove her hands from behind her back - she had a large kitchen knife seven inches in length. She said she would not hurt officers but Geoff might.”

Bradley, who has a previous conviction for possession of a bladed article, was then tasered and arrested.

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Her solicitor Georgia Collins said Bradley, a Royal Navy veteran of nine years with post-traumatic stress syndrome had experienced “voices in her head” from the age of five.

She said: “It’s a sad and unfortunate case - she was experiencing a mental health episode at the time and felt really scared about the officers.

“She was experiencing what she describes as an out-of-body experience. She has experienced voices in her head from the age of five years old.

“She had been self-medicating with alcohol to block out the voice of Geoff.”

Ms Collins said her client was in touch with the mental health crisis team and PTSD charities - while she was supported by her mother and sister who she was very close to.

She said: “She remains hopeful for the future despite being nervous about receiving a custodial sentence.”

Bradley, of Arcam House, North Wingfield, admitted possession of a knife in a public place.

Jailing her for four months, a magistrate said: “Knife crime is a serious offence - danger to the public is something we have to take into consideration.

“It’s appropriate to sentence you to immediate custody.”

Members of Bradley’s family wept and embraced in court as her sentence was read out.

Chesterfield woman jailed for police stand-off with seven-inch kitchen knife