Man in Balintore barricaded himself into his mother's house and set several fires
POLICE from the Highlands, Aberdeen and the Isle of Skye were involved in a three-hour siege in Easter Ross after a "Jekyll and Hyde character" barricaded himself into his mother's house and set several fires.
A total of 18 police officers, five specialists, an ambulance and three Scottish Fire and Rescue units were involved in the stand-off at a house in Parkland Place, Balintore on the night of August 19th into the 20th this year.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that John McDonald had several previous convictions including several for similar offences going back five years where he would barricade himself in Tain and Balintore properties and start fires.
John McDonald appeared by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court and the 45-year-old admitted a charge of threatening behaviour.
His defence counsel, Shahid Latif told Sheriff Sara Matheson that his client "was a Jekyll and Hyde character whose normal elixir was alcohol, but he took something else on this occasion.
"He has expressed remorse and regret and is ashamed of his behaviour."
Jailing McDonald for 14 months, she told him: “This was a utilisation of police resources which could have been better used elsewhere."
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She backdated the sentence to August 20 when McDonald, designated as an Inverness prisoner, was remanded in custody.
Fiscal depute Alison Wylie told the court: "About 21:50 on August 19, police received reports that he was acting in an aggressive manner in the Balintore area.
"His mother advised them that he was heading for her home — a two-storey end-terraced council house - and she was concerned for her property. She asked the police to remove him."
Mrs Wylie said that two officers went to the door but got no response and then received permission from McDonald's mother to open the door and enter.
She said: "McDonald was standing at the doorway of the kitchen, He became immediately aggressive and told them to f**k off. They were forced to leave and call for further police units to assist.
"The accused then smashed two windows and a door window and barricaded both doors to the property using mattresses and pieces of wooden furniture.
"Thereafter he set fires within. Smoke started to appear and the police urgently requested the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service."
The prosecutor added that a cordon was set up, more police were called while McDonald continued to set fires, strike items in the property, shouting, swearing and making threatening comments to police.
Mrs Wylie said the incident lasted over three hours before police forced entry to the house about 2am when McDonald began to make threats to harm himself and arrested him.
