A DRUNKEN man threw a lighted firework at police during an armed siege in York city centre, a court heard today.

Police dived for cover behind their van as James Honey held officers at bay for more than two hours.

Fireworks exploded in all directions around the siege scene, and the police van was damaged by fire as a result.

Nicholas Barker, prosecuting, said the 34-year-old threatened police with a crossbow, hurled a crossbow bolt out of the window and made threats against an officer during the stand-off outside his flat in Market Street.

He was upset because he felt police had wrongfully arrested him and prevented him going to his father's funeral the previous year, York Crown Court heard.

Sentencing him to 18 months for arson and affray, Judge Paul Hoffman said: "It was in my judgment a thoroughly disgraceful public display of drunken spleen and temper which cannot have been more public."

Honey, formerly of Market Street, York, pleaded guilty to affray and arson.

The charge of making threats to kill was left on file.

Defending, Tim Stead said he sincerely believed that he had been wrongfully arrested in February, 2000, and his absence at the funeral had caused his family to ostracise him.

He had had an argument with his mother and had been drinking heavily leading up to the incident.

Updated: 14:31 Friday, January 04, 2002