A SOLDIER who armed himself with a large knife, told a security guard he was going to die and then brought terror to a garage shop, has been spared jail.

Burnley Crown Court heard how, during the ‘bizarre’ early hours outburst, after drinking and rowing with his girlfriend, ‘suicidal’ physical training instructor Daniel Whalley, 23, threw himself at a car.

He put two petrol station assistants in fear for their lives and ended up sobbing and ‘ranting’ at his parents, the court was told.

When he was arrested and cautioned, he replied: “I want to go to jail.”

The hearing was told Whalley, who is in the Royal Engineers and won a prize for top student, suffered issues after service in Afghanistan which he couldn't talk about.

His behaviour, last December 27, was to get attention for himself.

Whalley admitted affray and possessing a bladed article, but the judge allowed him his freedom so he can have psychiatric help in the Army.

Judge Jonathan Gibson, who said the defendant's commanding officer had spoken of him in glowing terms, told Whalley: “It seems to me it is in the interests of not only yourself, but of the community, that you remain in the Army and I certainly expect you to grasp with both hands all of the psychiatric help that's on offer in the Army.”

Whalley, from Hollingreave Road, Burnley, was fined £1,000, with a £100 victim surcharge and must pay £600 compensation.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Whalley, who is stationed in Germany, picked up a large knife in the kitchen and went out after a row with his girlfriend.

He was knocked uncon-scious when he ran into the road and collided with a car at around 5.50am.

Mr Parker said at 7am, a security guard was walking home on Eastern Avenue towards the hospital, when he saw a man shouting.

Whalley then crossed the road, waved the knife feet away from him and told him: “You are going to die today and somebody else will as well.”

Just before or after the incident, Whalley teleph-oned his mother and, concerned, she and her husband went to look for the defendant.

When she saw him walking across a petrol station forecourt, Whalley told them: “You weren't there for me in Germany. None of you were. I was on my own out there.”

The prosecutor said two women were working in the garage shop when the defendant walked in and leapt over the counter with the knife in his hand.

Whalley told one woman: “Phone the police now or I'm going to stab you”, as he pointed the blade at her stomach.

James Heyworth, for Whalley, said he joined the Army in 2007 and went to Afghanistan in 2011. He had been considered suitable for promotion to Lance Corporal.

He said: “He is better off in the Army, society is better off with him in the Army and he can access the help he very much wishes now to have in the Army. “At the end of the day, he is a good man and he’s a good soldier.”

The defendant's comm-anding officer described Whalley, in a character statement to the judge, as ‘a hugely valuable soldier’ and he would strongly recommend that he remain in the Army.