Armed police were called to a supermarket car park after a man was seen with a large kitchen knife.
Campbell Freeman, a former funeral parlour employee in Thurso, had earlier threatened a police dog handler and his dog who had been called to the Tesco Inshes store on April 25.
His arrival followed reports by concerned members of the public and security staff and the handler called in the Armed Response Unit when the 54-year-old refused to drop the knife.
The Unit had to draw their Tasers before Freeman complied with their demand, fiscal depute Robert Weir told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Freeman, who admitted a long list of previous convictions including one involving a blade, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place and threatening behaviour.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood jailed him for 16 months, backdated to April 26.
The court heard that Freeman had been due for a hospital appointment on the morning of the offences, but drank over a bottle and a half of Vodka instead.
Defence solicitor George Mathers said that his client had found the knife and didn’t mean any harm. He added that Freeman had a “coloured” attitude towards police.
He went on to say that Freeman’s offending began when he was aged 29, his wife left him and he became an alcoholic.
Mr Weir said that the police were alerted after Freeman went into the store and asked a security guard for assistance as he had cut his finger.
He had earlier been seen sitting on a bench, removing it from his jacket and switching it from hand to hand, before moving to an ATM and then standing beside a bicycle, also holding the blade.
Mr Weir said Freeman walked through the car park holding the knife and when the police arrived, he “adopted a fighting stance.”
