A man who was wielding a machete in Aberdeen told officers he would “chop someone’s head off” unless they arrested him.
Stephen Morris, 48, phoned the police himself and demanded that officers come to an address in the Rosemount area of the city as he was frightened of what he might do.
When officers attended at an address on Watson Street, Morris told them: “If you don’t lock me up I’ll kill someone.”
His solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Morris was hearing “voices in his head”.
Morris pleaded guilty to one charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and uttering threats of violence.
He also admitted a further charge of being in possession of a machete.
Accused told police he had ‘flipped his lid’
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told the court at around 10.45am on January 24 this year Morris called 999 and requested that police attend at his property.
“He told police that he was in possession of a machete and he had ‘flipped his lid’,” Ms Simpson said.
“When officers arrived at the locus the accused began walking towards the officers, who told him to put down the machete.
“The accused told officers ‘if you don’t lock me up I’ll kill someone’.
“He then stated: ‘I’ll chop someone’s head off.'”
Morris then dropped the machete which allowed officers to arrest him.
He was assessed by a police psychologist and taken to Royal Cornhill Hospital.
‘He has issues with hearing voices in his head’
Defence agent Michael Burnett told the court: “The situation is that Mr Morris told me he has issues with hearing voices in his head and he thinks they’re out to get him.
“He bounces around the country but he will hear the voices and leaves to go somewhere else.
“He is adamant that he needs some kind of medical intervention.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence on Morris, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, in order for a criminal justice social work report and psychological assessment to be carried out.
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