A MAN with a grudge against public servants threatened a chief officer at the Benefits Agency and branded her a "Nazi fascist pig", Worcester Crown Court heard.

Peter Collins made insulting phone calls to Valerie Upton and, once his calls were screened, pretended to be her daughter in order to get through and harass her.

He then went to Kidderminster Hospital to hand out leaflets detailing personal information about psychiatrist Dr Robert Ireland.

The doctor called police after Collins refused to leave and officers found he was carrying a flick knife, said Nicolas Cartwright, prosecuting.

Collins, aged 44, admitted harassing Mrs Upton and possessing an offensive weapon. He denied common assault on Dr Ireland and the charge was left to lie on file.

The defendant, who changed his pleas to guilty after a trial had begun, was freed on bail by Recorder Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC for a report by a psychiatrist.

The recorder said he wanted the risk of further offending assessed, details of Collins' personality defect, and the likely success of a plan to treat him in the community.

Collins was ordered to live with his parents in Grange Road, Kidderminster, and keep away from the hospital and Benefits' Agency.

Mr Cartwright told the recorder that Judge Michael Mott refused Collins bail last month after a doctor reported evidence of "escalating action" in his persecution ideas.

Collins had served eight months in custody but had visited a psychiatric clinic for assessment on whether he should be detained. One expert said he was not ill enough.

The court heard he made threatening telephone calls to Mrs Upton between November 29 last year and January 11.

Mr Cartwright said Mrs Upton had dealings with Collins in the 1990s and he was banned from the offices because of his behaviour.

On November 30 last year, he claimed to know her Christian name, date of birth and address. Insulting and offensive calls followed, saying she was a "Nazi, fascist pig".

At one stage, he claimed to know her route to work.

Collins had been diagnosed as having a paranoid personality but returned to Kidderminster General on March 21 to distribute leaflets about Dr Ireland.

The doctor told Collins to leave but he was pushed and grabbed by the throat, said Mr Cartwright. The knife was found in his pocket although he had not tried to use it.

When interviewed, he claimed the knife had been planted on him and alleged the doctor tried to attack him.

Asked about phone calls to the benefits office, he declined to reply because he said he did not want to alert the prosecution to his defence case.

Defence counsel John Sawyer said Collins was a well-educated man with a disability.

Mr Sawyer said he had not accepted treatment in the past after "disappointing experiences "with agencies. But with counselling, his position might change.