Man jailed for attempting to attack police officers with a knife
A man who attempted to attack two police officers with a knife in a failed suicide attempt has been jailed.
Prashanth Kandhaiah, 30, of Mellion Close, Thamesmead, was found guilty of threatening with an offensive weapon and sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court yesterday.
The court heard that at around 8:50am on April 18 last year, Kandhaiah, who was armed with a knife, confronted two Ministry of Defence (MOD) cops in Horse Guards Parade, near Downing Street.
One of the officers used his Taser and other managed to restrain and disarm Kandhaiah.
Shortly after he was arrested, Kandhaiah asked the officers: “Why didn’t you shoot me?”
In custody, Kandhaiah said: “I thought if you tried to stab an officer they were meant to shoot you.”
Cops searched his home and found kitchen knives that were the same make as the knife used to threaten the officers.
Kandhaiah’s mobile phone was seized and it revealed a map giving directions to the location of the attack.
There were also messages from Kandhaiah saying “goodbye”.
Kandhaiah told detectives in interview that he suffers from mental health problems, including schizophrenia.
He said he had travelled to central London with the knife in order to be shot by police.
Detective Constable Tobias Hussey, the investigating officer, said: “This was an incredibly frightening incident for the Ministry of Defence officers involved, who would have believed they were under attack by someone attempting to seriously injure them.
“They both showed incredible bravery and restraint to disarm Kandhaiah with the use of Taser. It is clear this incident could easily have resulted in a different outcome for all parties involved.”
Pictured top: Prashanth Kandhaiah (Picture: The Met)
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