A drink and drug crazed man sparked a terrorist alert when he told the emergency services he had a gun and bombs and was going to kill somebody.

Christopher Haw also claimed he had a hostage and he wanted armed police to “bring it on”.

But although the university educated 25-year-old barman had all the necessary ingredients to make gunpowder his main intention was to kill himself with an antique gun, a court heard.

Haw, of Sutton Road, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, was jailed for 22 months after admitting having an explosive substance, communicating false information with intent and assault.

Because of time spent on remand, he is due to be released in about three weeks.

As he had beech charcoal, sulphur powder and potassium nitrate at his home to make about a kilo of gunpowder and he had talked of blowing up mosques, the case was at first charged under the Terrorism Act.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said it was listed in the “terrorism court” at the Old Bailey in London but then released to Maidstone Crown Court.

Haw, who attended Maidstone Grammar School and Hull University, made calls to the ambulance service and then the police on July 8 last year.

After making the threats, officers went to his home and discovered he was drunk and unarmed and needed help with his mental health.

“He expressed surprise that the officers were unarmed,” said prosecutor Simon Taylor. “They entered and attempted to restrain him. He reacted violently, trying to punch out.

“He spat and it landed on the cheek of one of the officers. Police found no hostage present. He made a number of significant comments.

“He said ‘I am going to kill you’ to an officer, ‘white power’ and ‘I have a pipe bomb in my room’.”

He added he had bought “stuff” on the internet to make it. He then admitted he did not have a pipe bomb but he had the ingredients to make gunpowder.

After his arrest, he told an officer: “I thought you were an Arab. I am making a pipe bomb and putting it in a mosque.”

A search of Haw’s bedroom revealed three parcels containing the beech charcoal, sulphur powder and potassium nitrate to make gunpowder.

“Police confirmed it could cause death or serious injury and damage to property,” said Mr Taylor.

Haw said he had suffered from anxiety and was drinking heavily and the combination made him want to commit suicide.

He knew the information he had a gun and a bomb in the current security climate would "create a reaction".

He made comments to antagonise the police.

Haw said he consulted the internet to find tutorials on making gunpowder. He bought a gun and was going to mix up gunpowder to shoot himself in the head.

The court heard he had six previous convictions for nine offences, including criminal damage, driving with excess alcohol, threatening words and behaviour and being drunk and disorderly.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said Haw’s mental health problems were exacerbated by abusing alcohol and cocaine.

“This was a disgraceful and dangerous incident,” he said. “Who knows what might have happened. Fortunately, the police were able to restrain you and no one was injured.”

The offences were at first thought to have terrorist implications but it was swiftly resolved, said the judge.

“Your actions were designed to cause injury to no one other than yourself,” he continued.

“It is gratifying to see you have made real progress.

“I express the hope you will be able to sustain that progress when the time comes for you to be released.”

Judge Griffith-Jones added: “Plainly, this case is so serious nothing less than a prison sentence is demanded. Release may come very soon.”

Charles Langley, defending, said Haw started drinking at the age of 12 and it became part of his every-day life.

“His views don’t show him in a good light, and he is deeply embarrassed about them,” he said.

“There was some concern it was a terrorism case. The substances in his room had not even been unwrapped.

“He bought them in 2016 and had not used them. His intention was to kill himself.

"There was a knife when the police went to arrest him and he was Tasered.

“He was able to get into university. Unfortunately, his demons came back and he had to drop out. The case is so peculiar on its facts. Alcohol is the root cause.

“He was so unhappy an depressed he wanted life to end at the age of 25.”