desperate criminal, a court heard yesterday.

Sir John Sharpe and the Hon. Quinton Edness were canvassing in Warwick when the man showed up -- bare-chested, breathless, and brandishing two pieces of wood.

Police arrived in pursuit, because the man had just smashed through a woman's window and threatened to kill her.

One of the politicians, along with fellow canvasser Mr. Kim White, a lawyer, managed to calm the man down so Police could handcuff him.

The suspect was 31-year-old Stephen Thomas William Bean, who was sentenced to a year in jail in Supreme Court yesterday.

Crown prosecutor Mr. Melvin Douglas said that at 8 p.m. on September 23, Police were called to the Warwickshire Drive home of Donna Trott.

Apparently, Bean had once lived with her niece, Theresa Trott. The niece had left the Country after threats to her and her baby daughter.

Despite an official letter telling him to keep away, Bean had entered the house in a rage and threatened to kill the aunt unless she gave him her niece's address in the US.

When she refused Bean had grabbed her and threatened to beat her with two pieces of two-by-two wood.

Police found him on Camp Road, talking to Mr. White and the two MPs. He became abusive and threatened to kill one of the officers, said Mr. Douglas.

The court heard that Bean, of Horseshoe Road, Southampton, worked at a body shop. He had previous convictions for violence.

In Magistrates' Court he had admitted using threatening behaviour, possessing the wood as an offensive weapon, assaulting P.c. Adrian Cook, entering property in a way likely to breach the peace, destroying a picture window and two light casings, and behaving in a threatening manner.

He was sent before Chief Justice the Hon. Austin Ward for sentencing. In a long, emotional speech Bean said he had problems going back to his parents, "the first people that ever hurt me''.

His mother had been under a lot of pressure and he had never had love or affection.

He said he had difficulty expressing himself and avoiding getting "hyped''.

Bean said he had looked after Theresa Trott and helped raise her son. They also had a baby daughter together.

Then, last Easter, her mother had wrongly accused him of "brutalising'' the boy, he said. The boy's father and five other people had beaten him up.

When his girlfriend's aunt arrived the next day with Police, his girlfriend had slipped out the back of the house and left him, taking his child.

Bean said he went through months of hell, trying to stay calm, before he finally "snapped''.

Only drinking Elephant beer kept him calm, he said.

He was "hyped'' because Police "let'' his girlfriend run away without talking to him.

"I wasn't even a man, I was a nervous wreck.'' Bean said he was on his way to see his cousin the night of the offences and had to pass the Trott house on the way.

He had thought of asking the family for a picture of his daughter.

He had felt the "spirit'' of his daughter and believed she was there.

"They came to me first with violence. I had the sticks in my hand just in case.

"I've been the one that's suffered the most through this whole case. "I'm most deeply sorry for what happened. I'm ashamed because I took my eyes off of God.'' Bean told the judge he now had another girlfriend and daughter who needed him.

Mr. Douglas told the judge Bean had shown little remorse. He was saying he was right to impose his will on people and that they owed him an explanation.

Mr. Justice Ward said that might be because of Bean's psychological limitations.

"You can't expect him to react in the same way as a normal person.'' Bean needed treatment so he would learn not to "explode'' when faced with difficult situations.

He ordered that while in prison, Bean should get psychological or psychiatric treatment, and/or treatment for alcohol addiction.