Police raiding a Dover house looking for drugs were confronted by a man brandishing a knife who told them: “I’m the daddy around here!”

Barman Michael Bedford threatened one officer: “I’m going to f***ing stab you. I will stick you.”

Two officers retreated from the house as a third tried to disarm the 27-year-old using a pepper spray, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Eventually Bedford was subdued after an officer grabbed him and a delivered a number of “distraction blows” until the knife was dropped.

Bedford, of Wood Street, Dover, avoided an immediate jail sentence after admitting a charge of affray in July this year.

Adrian Amer, prosecuting, said officers had gone to the property in Paradise Road, Dover, in search of drugs.

After identifying themselves, they tried to force the solid wooden front door, as Bedford prevented them from getting in a lower panel.

He said that as two officers tried to climb through the gap, Bedford stood over them holding a small knife and threatened to stab them.

Mr Amer said that no drugs were found in the house but officers later discovered a hunting knife in one of the rooms.

Phil Rowley, defending Bedford, a barman at the Three Cups Bar in Dover, said the noise of police getting into the house and shouting had caused “his blood to boil”.

Bedford received a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

The judge, Recorder James Osborne, told him it had been a “particularly unpleasant offence” in trying to prevent the police from carrying out their lawful duty.