A violent alcoholic who threatened to kill police and emulate notorious fugitive gunman, Raoul Moat, has been jailed for five-and-a-half months.

Phillip Old launched a series of threats before attempting to headbutt an officer following his arrest in connection with other matters.

The 40-year-old, who had been wanted on suspicion of assault and stealing a mobile phone, was found laying in a field in Elmswell, drinking lager, shortly before 1pm on June 1.

Old, of no fixed address, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday to admit assaulting an emergency worker.

Prosecutor Adam Norris said Old became aggressive after being handcuffed and led towards a vehicle by Pc Scott Swallow, adding: "He made threats, including that he would kill him and his children, and made reference to the Raoul Moat incident in the north of England, where a police officer was shot and a manhunt launched for the offender."

At one point, Mr Norris told the court, Old had to be hauled to his feet after sitting down and refused to comply.

He then attempted to headbutt Pc Swallow, who managed to avoid injury through a combination of dodging and deflecting the blow.

Old, who had to be further subdued with leg restraints and a spit hood, had 18 previous convictions for 27 offences, including battery, harassment and threatening behaviour – most recently serving 12 weeks' custody for a racially aggravated public order offence.

Oliver Haswell, mitigating, said Old realised he was in the wrong and recognised how emotive his comments would have been, but that he had been intoxicated and not thinking clearly.

Mr Haswell said Old had initially complied with police and allowed himself to be handcuffed, but had become obstructive while walking the three-quarter-mile distance to a police vehicle.

He said Pc Swallow's use of force, to haul Old to his feet, had been the trigger for his actions.

Mr Haswell said Old had battled alcoholism for many years, but had invested £5,000 on a residential rehab programme before the incident took place, and wanted to resume a period of abstinence while in custody.

Jailing Old for 22 weeks, Judge Emma Peters said that, during his interaction with police, he had threatened officers and their families, as well as referring to knowing where they lived, threatening to 'do a Raoul Moat' and making gun gestures with his hands.