A man armed with a knife and baseball bat started a fire in a terraced house and threw furniture from a window as passers-by looked on.
Uniformed police were joined by armed officers, dog handlers, and a negotiator at the incident on May 9, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
Tomasz Giernacki, 27, was throwing furniture and mattresses from an upstairs bedroom window of the property in Bedford Road, Roath and the road had to be blocked off to protect the public.
People had already been diverted into the area because of a serious and unconnected fire on another street that morning, said prosecutor Jason Howells.
Giernacki was upset by a break-up with the mother of his five-month-old child and at the time he was on bail for an assault on her.
"He became more aggressive and violent"
That day, after an early-morning dispute in the rented house where his mother and brother also lived, a police officer first on the scene, called for support as the armed defendant appeared at the window.
Mr Howells said: “Another mattress came out of the window and he positioned himself, as if to jump, before changing his mind and picking up knives and a baseball bat.
“Other officers arrived and he became more aggressive and violent.”
The stairs had been barricaded with items from inside the house and a fire alarm sounded and smoke could be seen.
An officer who went into the property saw Giernacki on the landing waving the knife and bat which he refused to put down.
Mr Howells said: “The defendant went back into the bedroom, slamming the door, and was followed.
“As the officer went in the defendant was facing him holding the knife. There was blood and broken glass on the floor and a small fire in the room.”
"Showing no fear"
A taser was fired but it had no effect on Giernacki who was described as “showing no fear”.
He jumped from the window, landing on his feet, and had to be tasered a second time when he tried to get up with the blade still in his hand.
The court heard the incident had lasted well over an hour before Giernacki was restrained and taken to the University Hospital of Wales where he was treated for a cut on one hand.
Mr Howells said: “Damage to the landlord’s property was estimated at over £2,000. There was a great deal of inconvenience and danger caused.”
The court hearing was conducted with a Polish interpreter.
"Spiralled almost out of control"
Defence lawyer Vaughan Britton said the incident arose from Giernacki’s inability to cope with the breakdown of his relationship.
He took drugs and drank and had serious thoughts about ending his life, the court heard.
He had worked as a kitchen assistant, security guard, and car valeter since coming to the UK at the age of 16 despite having problems with the English language.
But because of it he had “struggled” with isolation and hostility” while in prison awaiting sentence and also had to deal with the tragic news of his mother’s sudden death last week.
“Mercifully he had spoken to her on the phone from prison and she forgave him but he has to deal with the guilt of knowing the last time he saw her was during this incident, which had started with him causing some damage and then spiralled almost out of control,” Mr Vaughan said.
Giernacki’s mother and brother were said to have got out of the house not long after it began.
He pleaded guilty to charges of affray, causing criminal damage, and having offensive weapons.
Jailing him for 16 months, Recorder of Cardiff Judge Eleri Rees said the episode had caused fear and left police dealing with a very volatile situation.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-armed-knife-baseball-bat-11509742
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