By Paul Thornton
A MAN has admitted sparking a four-hour stand-off with armed police after going beserk with a knife.
Denim MacLeod, 28, self harmed himself then used a serrated kitchen knife as a weapon to keep police at bay during the incident at his flat in Caledonian Place in Edinburgh.
A neighbour fled the flat in terror but his brave girlfriend stayed with him as police tried to coax him out of the home last August.
Eventually they managed to persuade the “agitated” MacLeod to give himself up and he was arrested and treated for his self-inflicted wounds.
Today at Edinburgh Sheriff Court he admitted a breach of the peace. MacLeod also admitted possession of a hammer during a mass brawl on a separate occasion.
“Highly agitated”
Fiscal depute Gerard Drugen told the court how MacLeod at been at home with his girlfriend Jade Cairney and a neighbour on August 5 last year.
At around 5.30pm the neighbour noticed that MacLeod was covered in blood and he told them that he had been self harming.
At this point the neighbour left and called the emergency services who raced to the scene, sparking the terrifying siege.
Miss Cairney decided to stay with the crazed knifeman while anxious residents gathered in the street.
Officers arrived at the blood spattered scene and tried to enter the property but were forced back by MacLeod who charged at them while wielding a blade.
Armed officers and dog handlers were called-in and negotiators spent over four hours talking MacLeod out of the flat, with him emerging at 9.50pm the same night in handcuffs.
Mr Drugen said: “When they pushed open the door it was at that juncture that the panel ran at the officers and brandished the knife.
“There appeared to be blood on the floor and walls, the panel was in a highly agitated state. He was jumping up and down.
“Miss Cairney left the flat and was not injured. She said that she had only remained there voluntarily.”
Mr Drugen added that several serrated kitchen knives were seized from the house, but prosecutors were unable to say which had been MacLeod’s weapon during the incident.
MacLeod was treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for his self inflicted injuries before appearing at court almost two weeks later.
Mr Drugen also told the court how MacLeod armed himself with a hammer during a mass brawl against EIGHT other people outside Gladstones Bar in Edinburgh’s Mill Lane on February 6 last year.
His solicitor, Niall McCluskey said: “It is pretty apparent from the nature of the narration that there are pretty complex issues surrounding the background of the offence.”
Sheriff James Scott called for background reports and deferred sentence on MacLeod until later this month.
