A SOLICITOR lunged at a policeman with a ten inch kitchen knife and screamed 'die, die, die', a court heard.

A jury heard that Jack Chao was experiencing a psychotic episode magnified by a sense of isolation after months in lockdown.

He believed the apocalypse had come and police were coming to take him to hell, a trial was told.

Body camera footage captured the moment he attacked PC Daniel Rollings who fired a Taser.

This failed to bring the 37-year-old down and PC Rollings was saved by his stab vest.

PC Rollings told the court: "He came at me. He was trying to stab me, he charged towards me.”

The court was told that PC Rollings tried to use his Taser but one of the barbs missed.

They struggled over the knife, with the police officer punching Chao in the face and gouging his eye.

Chao was heard screaming as the officer tried to subdue him.

The court was told how PC Rollings was terrified during the incident in Crawley.

"I genuinely thought he was trying to kill me," the officer told colleagues.

Prosecutor Jonathon Edwards said police were called to a block of flats on Friday, December 17 last year at about 9.30am after a member of the public saw a man with a knife looking confused and lingering in the stairway.

Mr Edwards said: "He had a knife in his hand. He advanced towards PC Rollings. He made several stabbing motions. He was shouting die, die, die.

"When it became clear to PC Rollings he was going to attack him with the knife, he discharged his Taser.

"One of the barbs missed and the charge was ineffective.

"Chao was able to close the distance and attempted to stab PC Rollings in the chest two or three times.

"He may only have been saved by his police issue stab vest," Mr Edwards said.

After he police had him under control, Chao said sorry several times, Mr Edwards said.

He added: "Then quoted from the bible, the lord is my shepherd."

Chao denies attempted murder.

The jury was told they were faced with the unusual job of reaching one of three verdicts - guilty, not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity.

Mr Edwards added: "Did he try to stab PC Rollins, did he know it was wrong?"

The trial continues.