A POLICEWOMAN's thumb was pulled backwards when she struggled with a troubled father-of-three, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told Anthony Francis Pickles, 37, had been swinging a metal bar around and narrowly missed another officer. Police had attended the defendant's home as they had been worried about his safety and welfare.

Pickles, of Midland Street, Nelson, admitted affray and assaulting a police officer and was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order.

The bench told him they had tried to help him not to punish him and it was now up to him to help himself.

Julie Reddish, prosecuting, said Pickles went towards the police swinging a metal bar after they knocked on his door.

An officer shouted to him to put the bar down, but the defendant said he would take them all on. One officer took out his CS gas spray, Pickles was again told to put the bar down but was stilll aggressive.

The defendant was eventually gassed and taken to the ground, but struggled and had to be restrained. PC Joanne Simpson had her thumb pulled backwards in the melee.

Miss Reddish said Pickles was finally put in the police van and said in interview he had not known it was the police at his door. He said he had had no intention of assaulting the officers and had been drunk.

David Lawson, defending, said Pickles had had problems with his mental health and substance misuse and was receiving medication.

The offence came after family problems. The defendant had a son aged 12, who lived in Scotland but there had been no contact since September 2001.

Before then he had seen the boy regularly but after he was made redundant and maintenance payments stopped, his former partner had cut off all contact with Pickles. He had not been able to write or speak to the boy since last September and had not seen him for two-and-a-half years.

Mr Lawson said Pickles had been drinking heavily but shouldn't have been as he was on prescribed medication.

He needed help and may have called the emergency services himself. Pickles apologised to the police.