A man who pointed a loaded shotgun at police before setting a garden shed on fire has been jailed for more than five-and-a-half years.

Paul Martin, 50, pointed the weapon at officers after assaulting his partner at their address in Canhams Road, Great Cornard, on September 8 last year.

Martin had been out drinking during the day and returned home in the early evening, Richard Kelly, prosecuting, previously told the court.

He continued to drink and became involved in an argument with his partner, the court heard.

After she went to the toilet to hide, Martin grabbed hold of her by the throat and she hit her head on the sink.

His partner then fled to a neighbour’s house and the police were called.

By then, Martin had left the house and had gone into the garden shed and when police arrived, he emerged from the shed pointing the loaded weapon at officers.

Mr Kelly said the weapon was in “full working order” and contained a live cartridge.

Officers retreated back into the house before locking the doors and Martin then banged on the French doors with the butt of the gun.

Martin then returned to the shed and was seen by a neighbour dousing it in petrol.

Firearms officers and the fire service were called and Martin eventually put the shotgun down and was arrested.

On the day his trial was due to begin in February, Martin, of Canhams Road, Great Cornard, pleaded guilty to making use of a firearm with intent, possessing a shotgun without a certificate, arson intending to damage property, assault occasioning ABH, and criminal damage.

He denied charges of possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life, arson endangering life, making a threat to kill and assault by beating, which was accepted by prosecutors.

Oliver Haswell, defending, told the court that Martin had experienced mental health difficulties since he suffered a serious head injury in 1996.

Judge David Pugh ordered Martin to serve an extended sentence of 98 months, with a custody element of 68 months.

Martin, who was sentenced via video link, will serve at least two-thirds of his sentence in prison before he is released on licence.