A MAN told police he would “kill someone if he had to” after he was caught carrying five knives in Southend High Street.

James Green was spotted walking around the town centre by street rangers and police officers, handing out a knife to a member of the public and then throwing one down a drain.

The 44-year-old, of no fixed address, said he was arming himself against people who, he claimed, had been trying to hurt him.

After being arrested, he told police he had “people trying to kill him” and that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill someone to protect himself.

Green previously admitted five counts of possessing a bladed article and possessing cocaine, and theft.

He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Monday.

The court heard Green entered a shop on February 27 and stole the knives, later being spotted on CCTV.

He was then spotted at around 4pm by Southend street rangers in the high street.

When they approached him, Green said they “just didn’t understand”.

Green was followed and observed giving one of the knives to a member of the public, who dropped it and walked away.

He then attempted to drop another knife down a drain through a manhole cover, but it bounced off.

Green then jogged down Alexander Street, and by this time the police had been called, and he was arrested and informed officers he had another knife.

Mitigating, Ian Clift said Green had been suffering from mental health issues and was homeless at the time, but someone had genuinely been threatening

him.

Judge Ian Graham gave Green a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, as well as 40 days of rehabilitation activities.