A man took a knife onto a bus in Leeds during the coronavirus pandemic because he wanted to get jailed.
Stuart Brisbane was subject to a suspended sentence when he took a kitchen knife on board a bus in Bramley and refused to pay for a ticket.
Leeds Crown Court heard the 42-year-old had tried to take his own life the day before but he was refused hospital treatment.
Brisbane, who appeared in court from Armley jail, was locked up for 10 months today (Monday).
Prosecutor Sue Evans said the defendant got on the bus and refused to pay at 8.55am on March 13 this year.
She said a police community support officer attended and told him that he needed to pay.
Brisbane told the officer that he had no money, needed to get to town and had a knife so he was staying on the bus. When asked where the knife was, he lifted up his jacket and revealed that it was in his waistband.
He was arrested and told a nurse in custody that he wanted to harm someone to get jailed.
Brisbane then picked up a computer keyboard, slammed it down and punched the computer.
In his police interview, he said he took the knife out to get sent back to prison and he did not intend to harm anyone with it.
Brisbane, of Fernbank Road, Bramley, pleaded guilty to after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place and criminal damage.
He has 34 previous convictions for 54 offences, including dishonesty, drugs and violence.
Richard Reed, mitigating, said his client has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and is also taking medication for anxiety.
He said the father-of-two had tried to take his own life the day before as he was depressed and had no one to speak to.
Mr Reed said an ambulance had been called but paramedics would not admit him to hospital and his client thought the best way to get help was to get into Armley prison, which was not possible due to lockdown procedures.
