Axe threat in Castletown stand-off was 'cry for help'
A sheriff heard about a dramatic stand-off at a house in a Caithness village where a young man threatened to cut off some of his fingers with an axe.
Police and a negotiator were alerted but the emergency ended three hours later when Matthew Frere walked quietly from the house in Mackay Street, Castletown, and gave himself up, Wick Sheriff Court was told on Wednesday.
Frere (30) admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and threatening self-harm but was admonished by Sheriff Mark Lindsay who was told that Frere's actions were "a cry for help" which he was now getting.
Fiscal David Barclay said that around 4pm on June 20, Highland Council received a phone call from Frere who stated that he wanted to kill himself.
Police were alerted and arrived at the accused's home 10 minutes later. He was alone in the property.

Mr Barclay said: "Frere appeared to be in a somewhat emotional and agitated state and was shouting and swearing at them. He clearly wanted them to leave him alone.
"He ended up grabbing an axe, telling the officers if they didn't leave and back off, he was going to cut some of his fingers off and was holding the axe above his fingers. The officers judged from the accused's demeanour that it was a serious threat of self-harm rather than him just saying he was going to do so."
One of the officers who had had dealings with Frere previously attempted to speak to him by phone from outside the house, but the accused said he didn't wish to engage with them.
Mr Barclay said that the officers discussed with each other how best to deal with the situation and continued: "They were concerned that if they tried to enter the house, Frere might harm himself and others if they attempted to retrieve the axe from him."
A negotiator from police HQ in Inverness also tried to make contact with the accused but was not able to engage with him.
Back-up officers were dispatched from Inverness as there was a concern as to how the situation might develop.
Mr Barclay said: "There was something of a stand-off going on. On the one hand, there was concern for Frere, on the other hand, it was feared that intervention might cause damage not only to the accused but others."
The stand-off ended without incident around 7pm when the accused emerged from his house and walked quietly towards the police.
The fiscal went on: "When he neared them he turned and put his hands behind him in anticipation of handcuffs being applied, which they were. Maybe on one view, the accused had been making a cry for help or there was some underlying issue at the root of it."
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Solicitor Sian Grant agreed with the view that Frere's behaviour had probably been a cry for help.
She said: "He complied with the police at the end and apologised to them. He does not want to see the inside of a cell again."
Miss Grant explained that there was a mental health background to the accused's actions. However, he was engaging with his doctor to see what could be done "in the hope that the support would help prevent a repeat of the incident".
Sheriff Lindsay said he took into account that the threats made by Frere had been made to himself and that he had co-operated with the police at the end of the stand-off. He had apologised to them and was also engaging with the health authorities.
The sheriff added: "I think that the appropriate sentence, given that you have been in custody since June 21 and also that you tendered an early plea and are clearly remorseful and have hopefully learned your lesson, would be that I admonish you."