A CAREER criminal who threatened to shoot police officers dead after being released from jail on licence is today back behind bars for more than three years.

Wayne Cornlouer is only 20 but has committed 36 offences including assaulting police, burglary and violence and disorder.

In 2011 he was jailed for three-and-a-half years for possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

After spending about a fortnight at a Southampton bail hostel on his release in December, Cornlouer walked out, in breach of a curfew, before threatening to shoot any police officer who approached him.

The court heard how police had contacted Cornlouer on his mobile phone while he was walking in the city centre with a teenage girl.

The conversation with PC Ian Pitcher, who advised him to return to the hostel, was played to jurors.

Cornlouer was heard saying: “I’ve got a gun. I don’t care. The first copper that even approaches me is getting shot clean in the head. I don’t care about doing time.”

Asked what type of weapon he had, he said he had a pistol but refused to say where he had obtained it.

“That’s for me to know, isn’t it? Listen mate, if you’re thinking I’m gassing, yeah like get one of your colleagues to come to me and I’ll swear to God I’ll blow his head off.”

Asked where he was, Cornlouer taunted police by saying it was their job to find him, adding: “I’ve breached my bail conditions. You get one of your officers to come and find me, and I’ll blow his head off.”

Cornlouer then said he would rather jump off a bridge than go back to prison.

Believing the call was being traced, he said he would “let a few rounds off”.

He was arrested shortly afterwards in the city centre by six police officers with a police dog.

Cornlouer, of no fixed address, admitted threats to kill.

He was acquitted of possessing an imitation firearm to cause fear of violence after jurors heard testimony from the 17-year-old girl who was with him at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons.

Sentencing Cornlouer to 40 months behind bars, Judge Derwin Hope said that had he been found guilty of possessing the fake firearm he would have imposed an indefinite sentence to protect the public for what are a “disturbing set of circumstances”.

After reading pre-sentence reports about Cornlouer’s efforts to face up to his alcohol and drug problem, the judge said there were signs he was becoming responsible.

He said: “Time and time again those are the things that have proved to be your downfall.”

Defence barrister David Reid, mitigating for Cornlouer, said his client struggled to manage his emotions and to think things through, acting impulsively instead.

But he said that while in jail he had improved.

He added: “He is extremely motivated to help himself. When he is in the environment where alcohol is unavailable he is able to focus better.”