ARMED police launched a four hour siege of a Hampshire home after a man with access to guns threatened to burn his mother’s house down.

The armed officers rushed to the home in New Milton after the man made threatening phone calls to his mother while in a drink-fuelled rage.

Police carrying guns, shields and wearing bullet-proof jackets and helmets, laid siege to the home while the man was barricaded inside.

Now the man who sparked the siege, Alexander Psaila, 33, has been jailed for the incident.

During his sentencing, at Southampton Crown Court, prosecutor Alec Williams said how the incident took place on July 3 at Psaila’s mother’s home in Brecon Close, New Milton.

He told the court how prior to the incident Psaila, of Whitefield Road, New Milton, had descended into alcoholism, which had impacted his mental health conditions.

These include depression, emotionally unstable personality disorder and agoraphobia - a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic.

Mr Williams said on the day prior to the incident, July 2, Psaila became intoxicated and demanded his mother, Susan Psaila, get him more alcohol.

The court Mrs Psaila, 64, who had made attempts to help her son’s drink problem, used the demands as an excuse to leave the home.

She instead went to seek shelter in the local Conservative Club.

The following day, she returned to the property to find her son had barricaded the front door.

Mrs Psaila called the police again after her son became abusive.

Armed police went to the scene because Psaila had access to guns – though it was not said in court how or why.

Psaila pleaded guilty to criminal damage and making threats to cause damage.

He pleaded not guilty to two charges of making threats to kill, a plea which was accepted by the prosecution, though the court order these to lie on his file.

In sentencing, Judge Gary Burrell QC said Psaila caused “significant alarm” to his mother.

He jailed him for 15 months and imposed a restraining order for a year, banning Psaila from Brecon Close.