An Easter Ross man who threatened to burn down his house was involved in a second stand-off with police two weeks later.
The sieges at Parkland Place in Balintore on July 16 and August 1 lasted a total of nine hours and involved 29 police officers including armed personnel, four fire crews and three ambulances.
John McDonald, a 40-year-old with mental health problems, admitted two charges of threatening behaviour and sentence was deferred at Inverness Sheriff Court until January 9 for a background report.
He was remanded in custody until then.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir told Sheriff Margaret Neilson of the first incident when police were called to the home McDonald shared with his 63-year-old mother following concern for his welfare.
Officers could hear him shouting and swearing inside and managed to get him to come to the back door where the bursts of anger continued.
He then barricaded himself in and the street was evacuated when McDonald poured petrol on to the outside of the house and curtains, shouting he would burn the officers and himself alive.
Mr Weir said after around six hours of negotiations, McDonald eventually gave himself up.
But two weeks later, the emergency services returned to Parkland Place when Mrs McDonald called police after an angry confrontation with her son about the untidy state of her house.
When officers tried to talk to him, he brandished a knife and paint scraper at them before again barricading himself inside.
Mr Weir went on: “Officers kept a safe distance, tried to negotiate with him and cordoned off the street. Armed police then arrived but his violent behaviour continued, throwing items out of the windows, including a pole, a dart and a television set, before smashing a window, showering the officers with shards of glass.”
Defence solicitor Clare Russell said her client was currently on a community payback order, there were mental health issues and a report would be required before she said anything on his behalf.
