A PONTERWYD man became violent and threatened to kill police officers and a woman after being told his dog had been run over, a court heard.

Neil Williams, 58, said he would shoot the driver and even attacked the woman who broke the bad news to him.

Williams, of Ael y Bryn, admitted assault, using threatening behaviour and affray, all on 17 November last year.

Ieuan Rees, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court how a neighbour, Jodie Masey, tracked down Williams to tell him his dog had been injured.

Williams went to the scene and became distressed, and threatened to shoot the car driver Susan Vaughan.

And as he reached Miss Masey he grabbed her jumper and smacked her face.

Williams carried the dog home, where it died in his arms.

When police arrived to question him about the assault on Miss Masey he waved a kukri knife around and made numerous threats to the officers, which were caught on a body cam.

He told them, “I will fetch my guns in a minute. Come for me and I’ll chop you”.

Williams then began crying and calmed down.

Judge Paul Thomas said he wanted to publicly commend the unnamed officer who had approached Williams.

“He behaved impeccably and showed calmness and restraint,” he added.

Williams’ barrister, Hannah George, said he lived an isolated life with only his three dogs for company.

“All he wanted to do was grieve alone,” she added.

The court heard that Williams had 20 previous convictions for violence, four of them for assaults on police officers.

Judge Thomas said it was “high time” that Williams was “pulled up short or he will continue on his merry way".

“Miss Masey had been trying to be of assistance to you. Why you thought she needed to be the object of your wrath is beyond me," added the judge.

“Later, you were holding a fearsome weapon and your mood swings were alarming. And this was not a one off offence. You have a long history of violence."

Williams was jailed for 32 weeks.