Man, 43, sentenced after waving imitation gun at police officers during rooftop stand-off

A Cambridgeshire man has been handed a three-year sentence after he waved an imitation gun at police officers during a rooftop stand-off.

Phillip Emery of Fordham Road, Newmarket pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence at Cambridge Crown Court on March 16.

The 43-year-old also pleaded guilty to breach of a restraining order and a burglary and a theft that were committed in Suffolk.

On April 25, officers were executing a drugs warrant in Fordham Road and had detained a suspect when Emery appeared on the roof of a building.

He refused to get down and removed a fascia and some roof tiles to retrieve a black handgun.

Emery pointed it, as if it were a gun, in the direction of officers who took cover. While officers were out of sight he made off on foot.

He was arrested on May 19 in Isleham but the weapon was never recovered.

Detective Constable Josh Coe said: “Police officers day in and day out have to put themselves forward into situations like this where others back away to help keep the public safe.

“They had no reason to doubt that Emery wasn’t holding a real firearm and it’s fortunate that no one was seriously hurt.”