A binge-drinking Romanian immigrant has been jailed after he went berserk with a samurai sword.

Ion Nita first held the vicious weapon to the throat of his partner's son and then terrorised two men working in a taxi office below his flat.

The 39-year-old roofer even lashed out at police officers with the 4ft-long sword when they tried to arrest him.

Nita, who admitted assault, affray and possessing an offensive weapon, was jailed for 12 months after a judge told him: "It is good fortune indeed that nobody was seriously injured."

Maidstone Crown Court heard he had been drinking heavily on September 14 last year and was playing loud music in the early hours at his flat in West Street, Sittingbourne.

"Once he starts drinking he has the inability to stop. He is a binge drinker where it gets horrendously out of control..." - Simon Wickens, defending

The police were called, but no further action was taken. He continued drinking the next day and in the early evening put the sword against the throat of 22-year-old Giorgan Cirlan, causing a cut.

Mr Cirlan broke free and went into the bathroom and was so scared he vomited, said prosecutor Thom Dyke.

Nita then went to the ground floor and confronted White Cabs controller and driver Martin Keily and Jonathan Goodhew.

Mr Keily reached out for the sword and Nita told him: "Don't touch it. It's mine. It's legal you understand."

As he left, he tried to strike Mr Keily with the handle of the weapon and also swung it at him. He and Mr Goodhew hid in a toilet and Nita went back to his flat.

Three police officers arrived to hear loud music coming from the flat. Nita threatened: "I will kill you."

Mr Dyke said Nita was told to put down the sword, but he ignored the officers and told them to back off.

A Pava spray was used to try to subdue him, but he still lashed out with the sword before being arrested.

Nita was "in the rigours of excessive alcohol", said his lawyer Simon Wickens. He had Romanian visitors and started drinking with them on the day of the offences.

"Once he starts drinking he has the inability to stop," said Mr Wickens. "He is a binge drinker where it gets horrendously out of control. He is aghast about what went on. He is ashamed."

Nita had a strong work ethic in this country supporting his nine-year-old son in Romania, he added, but if sent to prison for more than a year he could be deported.

Judge Philip Statman told Nita, who came to the UK in 2007, he had used the "ugly" weapon aggressively in a public place.

"The controller and driver in the office were gravely concerned by your conduct," he said. "This was a serious offence."

He added: "I invite the licencing authorities to consider assisting you in relation to your alcohol dependency."