A 20-year-old man, angry because he had been sent to jail, leapt out of the dock at Maidstone Crown Court and headed towards the judge.

Judge Michael Lawson, QC, remained seated as he and a dock officer attempted to calm down Luke Simmonds who suffers from mental problems.

The court was cleared as security officers were called in and Simmonds, of Windemere Court, Quantock Drive, Ashford, was led away to begin his 18-month sentence.

Simmonds had told the judge that he wanted to be treated in hospital. He said he could not return to prison as people were conspiring against him. "They will kill me," he said.

But the judge said it had to be custody for offences including assaults on a police officer and his estranged wife.

Judge Lawson said he would extend Simmonds’s licence period to two years so that he would get help and support at the end of the sentence.

Simmonds had been convicted of assault and causing actual bodily harm. Earlier this year, community rehabilitation orders, including a condition that Simmonds attended a domestic abuse programme, had been imposed by two other judges. He faced sentence for breaching the orders.

The court heard that Simmonds attacked Ian Lingham in the Fat Fiddler pub in Ashford in June 2003.

Peter Alcock, prosecuting, said Simmonds was seen kicking Mr Lingham in the face as he lay on the ground. The victim needed 14 stitches in head wounds. Simmonds admitted causing actual bodily harm.

In October last year, he assaulted his new wife Emma after becoming enraged because one of his two children was wearing what he called "a non-Christian" pendant.

At his mother’s address, police arrived with mental health team staff. When Simmonds was arrested for a breach of the peace, he pushed a police officer.

When warned that it was assault, he replied: "No, this is assault on police" and headbutted PC Sarah Blenkinsop in the face.

Simmonds claimed to hear voices and said he had been put in a cell with Satan.

He admitted assaulting the officer, causing actual bodily harm.

In another incident on October 30 this year, Simmonds again assaulted his wife after telling her that Satan had a hold of her and that he was God.

Mrs Simmonds hit him a few times. During a struggle, she struck her head on a door frame as she fell on a concrete floor.

Simmonds told Judge Lawson he had lost faith in the system. "I’ve been like Christmas pudding in a pool of brandy," he added.

Judge Lawson said the probation service had tried to help him but he had breached orders.

"You are old enough now to be responsible for your own affairs," he said, adding that he was a risk to others.