A serial flasher who exposed his genitals and buttocks to a woman told arresting officers he would "vaporise" them and "blow up” a police station.

Paul Richardson had already greeted two constables saying he was "just out of prison and having a w***" as they called up to him from the communal entrance of his Margate flat block.

The 56-year-old, who later claimed to have been in the SAS, then began to throw an array of objects out of a window, including a glass ashtray, golf clubs and even chewed food.

But a court heard after police reinforcements arrived Richardson made his threats while brandishing what was described as a "rudimentary device" with a battery attached.

His bizarre antics continued once under arrest when, in full view of a CCTV camera monitoring his movements in his cell at Canterbury police station, he performed a sex act on himself.

Then, once admitted to a psychiatric unit in Maidstone, he wrapped himself in water-soaked sheets and towels and set fire to his room.

He later claimed he had done so because staff had "disrespected" him by not giving him food on request.

Richardson, of Glencoe Road, also tried to blame "women drivers" for the damage he caused to a parked car during his stand-off with police.

Neighbours, who were subjected to homophobic harassment from Richardson in a separate incident, later told police his behaviour had become "beyond acceptable" and left them feeling "trapped in a living hell".

But at Richardson's sentencing hearing for a total of 10 offences, Maidstone Crown Court was told "drugs, alcohol and anger" were the root cause. of his criminal behaviour.

It was on July 6 last year a woman spotted a trouserless Richardson standing outside his flat with his back to her.

He then turned and "flicked" his penis repeatedly, said prosecutor John Carmichael.

"She shouted at him 'Cover yourself up, you dirty b*****d', to which he replied 'Sorry' but continued to flick his penis," he told the court.

The incident was not reported to police until, two days later, she saw Richardson again, shouting and with his bare bottom hanging out his window.

"He kept shouting and was standing with his right foot on the windowsill, facing the road, wearing just a T-shirt, with his legs spread and his penis fully exposed," said the prosecutor.

"He was flicking it up and down while continuing to shout."

Initially, two officers arrived and on seeing his flat door was open, they shouted "Police", to hear Richardson respond: "Hold on. I've just come out of prison. I'm having a w***, let me get my clothes on."

However, he then appeared at the top of the stairs, telling them to "F*** off" and holding a knife as if to throw it.

The officers quickly closed the main door just before they heard it being struck by the blade.

With back-up from colleagues on its way, Richardson began to launch various objects from his window including the glass ashtray which hit their patrol vehicle, bounced off and struck a nearby Vauxhall car.

Other items thrown, such as a footstool, books and pots, were all aimed in the direction of the officers gathered below, said Mr Carmichael.

"At one point he came back to the window and showed what appeared to be a rudimentary device with a battery attached," explained the prosecutor.

"He said words to the effect of 'You have three minutes to get out of here or this will vaporise you and blow up Margate police station', and then threw it out the window."

The court heard that four days later, having been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, Richardson set fire to his room at Priority House, causing almost £15,000 worth of damage.

"He had set his bedding, pyjamas and tissues alight and placed them around the door," Mr Carmichael said.

"A support worker was taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation and there was great disruption and fear generated among the other occupants, who had to be taken out of their rooms and moved to a place of safety.

"The defendant had been assessed before the incident and after. He was coherent and said he had set fire to his room because he was unhappy with a member of staff who had refused to let him have food on request."

Richardson was discharged, only to be picked up by police after a member of the public reported seeing him "wandering in a haphazard way" down the street.

When interviewed, he admitted throwing a knife at police because he was "making a sandwich and wanted to warn them they were committing a burglary".

He also claimed the Vauxhall had been damaged by the owner when being parked, "her being a woman driver", he said.

The court heard the former bricklayer, who has 22 previous convictions for 37 offences, had also spat at a police officer in an unrelated incident.

Ian Dear, defending, told the court although the blaze had been started "in anger", the battery device was "never going to harm anyone or anything".

"He blames no one else but himself and there is no rancour for it," he added. "He freely admits that the trouble he gets into, driven by alcohol and drugs, is a misguided species of some sort of coping skill.

"The bottom line is that prison has provided a structure to his life that he so desperately needed."

The court heard that while on remand he had gained enhanced status, worked in the chapel and adopted a Christian faith.

"He is a talented, well-read man who has squandered most of his life at the behest of what alcohol and drugs have done to him," added Mr Dear.

"But his plan is that he will never go to prison again...and he fully accepts that salvation can only lay in his own hands.

"He is determined that the remainder of his life will be a success."

Richardson was jailed on Tuesday (June 11) for a total of four years for three offences of exposure, two of common assault on police, affray, arson being reckless, criminal damage, harassment and assault on an emergency worker.

Passing sentence, Judge Catherine Moore said Richardson had expressed his shame and horror at what he had done and shown genuine remorse.

But she told him: "Drug and alcohol misuse has had an adverse effect and you know this far better than anyone else.

"There is significant potential if you remain abstinent."

Richardson was also handed a three-year restraining order in respect of his neighbours, and ordered to sign on the sex offender register for seven years.