A KEYBOARD yob who threatened to set fire to a police car with the officers inside has been jailed for almost a year.

Nicholas Bray sent a private message to the Swindon North Police Facebook page on January 6 saying he planned to stab the next police officer he saw and set fire to their car - with them still in it. The 22-year-old claimed he would kill any police officer who tried to arrest him.

His message read: "Yooo wasssuuppp just wanted [to] say that [I] am going to stab the next fed I see and then set their car on f***ing fire with em in it! It ain't no threat believe me if you try and get me then I'll have 2 kill all of you." He ended the message with a laughing face emoji.

Appearing before Swindon Magistrates' Court earlier, Bray, of Lime Kiln, Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to sending a malicious communication.

JPs sentenced Bray, who has previous convictions for similar matters, to 10 months' imprisonment.

PC Liam Currant of Royal Wootton Bassett Community Policing Team said: “Bray is a repeat offender who has made violent threats to our police officers a number of times over the years.

“In today’s current climate, these types of threats, no matter whether or not the offender has genuine intentions to carry them out, have to be taken seriously.

“These threats make for uncomfortable reading at a time when police officers routinely find themselves under attack and subjected to violence.”