HIS aim was poor – just as well because he could have blinded the police officer.

“I meant to have done you in the eye,” he bemoaned. Instead the knife was embedded in the officer’s nose, the wound penetrating through a cartilage.

Frank Barker, 61, had suddenly produced a kitchen knife outside of the home of Kings Worthy vicar, the Rev R T Marshall, angry at being turned away by a parlour maid when he begged for food.

Twice Barker had asked to see the vicar, twice he was refused, even when he claimed he had some papers for him.

The jobless engineer then implored her for something to eat but she told him they were not allowed to do so and shut the door.

Barker however would not go away, remaining in the porch for 20 minutes.

The maid, Rose Thornton, sensed trouble was afoot and managed to convey a message to a tradesman, urging him to fetch the police, and half an hour later she saw Pc William Day walking down the drive.

The bobby persuaded Barker to leave and on being thanked by the staff, walked back to the gate where he had left his bike, only to be confronted by Barker to whom he had shown several acts of kindness.

But now the furious Barker produced the blade from his grubby clothing and stabbed Pc Day in the face. Pulling the knife away, the officer and Barker engaged in a tussle before the the officer finally overpowered him and handcuffed him.

“You ain’t got what I intended for you,” Barker snarled. “When I come out, I’ll show you what a north countryman can do”

Hearing the commotion, the vicar’s gardener rushed down the drive to come to the officer’s assistance and took him into the vicarage for his wound to be dressed while a colleague completed Barker’s arrest and led him to the police station.

Barker appeared at Hampshire Assizes two weeks later in late June 1910 when he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to resist arrest.

Offering no apology, he was jailed for three years by Mr Justice Ridley.