Nuisance caused chaos after climbing up Sunderland’s Queen Alexandra Bridge

Emergency workers from the police, fire, ambulance and coast guard services were called out after David Trott scaled the Queen Alexandra Bridge in Sunderland and sparked a 20-minute stand-off.

Newcastle Crown Court heard traffic over the road bridge was brought to a standstill while the 33-year-old shouted "**** off" to the people below.

Prosecutor David Comb told the court a witness saw Trott smashing beer bottles in the road and then jump onto a parked Audi motor, causing damage to the windscreen and bonnet before he climbed up the city landmark on January 4 last year.

Mr Comb added: "He saw the defendant 20 feet above the road, on a flat part of the structure, standing between two pillars.

"He had a bottle of alcohol in his hand, jumping up and down."

The court heard when Trott eventually climbed down from the bridge he racially abused a police officer and violently attacked two others when he was taken into custody.

He was released under investigation after the disruption and in October he targeted the home of a married couple, who did not know him, during the night and smashed their door pane with a machete while demanding to be let in.

The wife feared she was "going to be murdered in her own house" while Trott shouted "open the ****ing door" and shattered glass lay on the hallway floor.

The husband was so desperate for Trott to leave he used a can of fly spray to try and fight him off.

Mr Comb said: "He took the nearest object, which was a can of fly spray, and used it in the direction of Mr Trott but with no affect.

"He continued to shout at them to open the door before the police arrived."

The terrifying confrontation was caught on cctv and showed Trott make a determined effort to get into the house.

Mr Comb said it was obvious Trott had gone to the house by "mistake" as the couple who lived there were "completely innocent, unconnected parties".

Trott, of Kismet Street, Sunderland, who has convictions for 91 previous offences, admitted causing a public nuisance, criminal damage, racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, two assaults on emergency workers, affray, criminal damage and having an article with a blade.

Judge Edward Bindloss sentenced him to a total of two years and nine months behind bars.

Judge Bindloss told him: "You brought a main thoroughfare in Sunderland to a standstill by being on the Queen Alexandra Bridge on a Saturday morning, which lasted 20 minutes.

"It caused great inconvenience to all who had to come.

"You were drunk, you were abusive to public service workers."

Liam O'Brien, defending, said Trott had a "very difficult background and upbringing" and is "very remorseful" for his behaviour.

Mr O'Brien said Trott, who has mental health issues, is "not a racist person" despite the language he used and had lashed out in the "heat of the moment".