AN 'arrogant' man who stole a shotgun from a house and threatened to shoot police officers and hospital staff has been jailed.

Philip Blackburn, of no fixed address, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court last Friday, September 16, and will serve a minimum of 11 years behind bars.

The 31-year-old was found guilty of burglary, possession of a firearm and ammunition when being a prohibited person, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and three counts of threats to kill.

On September 11 last year Blackburn was arrested and detained in Wigan for an unrelated offence and was taken to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary due to a concern for his welfare.

While at the Wigan hospital's accident and emergency department and later at Leigh Infirmary, he threatened to shoot some police community support officers he had previously encountered as well as the hospital staff who were treating him.

In the midst of his threats, he repeatedly described a burglary at a property, claiming to have stolen a shotgun and ammunition.

This led to police being able to link Blackburn to a burglary in Culcheth, Warrington, which took place three days prior to his arrest.

The only items stolen during the burglary were a shotgun and ammunition.

Detective sergeant Lee Shaw, from Greater Manchester Police's Wigan division, said: “Philip Blackburn is an arrogant and brazen individual who was so keen to act the ‘big man’ and intimidate the people around him that he implicated himself in a burglary which had happened earlier that same week.

“In the midst of him threatening to shoot police and hospital staff with a shotgun, he gave officers all the information they needed to initially connect him to the burglary and investigate his involvement.

“He will now spend the foreseeable future sat in a prison cell.

"I hope subsequently during that time he will be able to reflect on his blatant disregard for authority and look to change his ways.”