A Harpenden man who said that being Tasered by the police made him feel "awesome" had his sentenced adjourned today because a psychiatric report had not been prepared on him.

Oliver McManus, 23, called the police just after midnight on November 2, saying he was going to stab someone unless they got there in five minutes.

When officers arrived at his house in Southdown Road they were approached by McManus who was wielding a kitchen knife with a six inch blade.

He was told to drop the knife, but ignored the request and used the knife to cut his own neck and arms, St Albans crown court heard.

A police officer fired a Taser at him from 15 feet, causing him to collapse. When he recovered he said the electric shock had "made him feel alive and made him feel awesome".

He was arrested and taken into custody. The court heard he had a history of self harming.

At an earlier hearing on December 18 McManus pleaded guilty to having an article with a blade.

Judge Stephen Warner had adjourned sentencing until today, but was told by his barrister Henry Gordon that he had not been seen in prison by a psychiatrist and no report had been prepared.

The judge said: "There needs to be some psychological report before I decide what to do. It is very, very unsatisfactory that this had not been resolved. Given what I have been told about his background, it seems to me that I need to have the full picture."

Sentence was adjourned until February 26.