Wick man threatened police with meat cleaver and kitchen knife at Castletown property
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Two armed response teams were called to a Caithness village amid a stand-off between police and an angry man threatening them with a meat cleaver and knives.
It ended with Calum McCann giving himself up at the end of the drama.
The 24-year-old admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at Wick Sheriff Court on Tuesday. He was ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid community work while under supervision.
The court heard that McCann, of Glamis Road, Wick, had gone to Castletown on May 9, last year. He was met by his mother who noted that he had been drinking and that he was "angry about something".
She was worried that her son would go to the home of his father, whom he was banned from contacting, and the police were alerted.
Fiscal depute Grant McLennan said that the accused called at his father's home in Castletown but there was no-one there, so he returned to his mother's home in the village. She was out looking for him at the time.
Mr McLennan went on to describe how police officers walking up the garden path were confronted by McCann, who opened a living room window with a screwdriver in his hand. The officers explained that they needed to speak to him about an alleged breach of his bail.
Mr McLennan went on: “McCann became angry and threatened to stab and kill them if they came into his house. The officers explained that brandishing weapons would only make things worse and asked him to come out.”
McCann was observed pacing back and forth in the living room and seen to put the screwdriver down and open a black roll-up case from which he selected a meat cleaver.
Mr McLennan continued: “The accused pointed it out of the window at the officers and threatened to chop their hands off with it, along with further comments about killing them by cutting out their eyes, and slitting their throats.”
McCann said he would defend the property and “slash” anyone who came into the house.
Mr McLennan said that during this tirade, McCann picked up a large kitchen knife, stood next to the open window and sharpened the blade against the meat cleaver.
Police officers attempted to engage with McCann and encourage him to calm down but he continued to shout abuse and threats at them saying he was going to throw knives at them and “would make sure he didn't miss”.
At around midnight, a group of armed officers from Dounreay arrived to cover the front and rear of the property as the police tried, unsuccessfully, to engage with the accused. A group of firearms officers from Police Scotland arrived on the scene from Inverness which allowed the local police officers to step back.
A trained police negotiator contacted the accused by phone to convince him to drop his weapons and come outside but despite saying he was going to do so, McCann picked up his weapons and continued to shout.
Later, however, he said he would come out after having a smoke, and did so. The accused was directed to show his hands and his waistband and to stand against a wall with his hands at his back.
McCann complied with the request and was arrested and taken to Wick police station.
Sheriff Neil Wilson commented on the “dreadful” sequence of events but said he had considered a background report and would not send McCann to prison.
However, he warned that if the accused failed to engage fully with social workers, he would face a prison sentence. While under supervision, McCann will be required to address his substance abuse.
