Man threatened to blow up house and kill police

Nearby homes evacuated during Alyth man’s six-hour stand-off with officers

A man threw an axe at police officers, threatened to blow up his house and told officers he would kill them if they entered his home during a six-hour siege.

Perth Sheriff Court heard the standoff only ended when firearms officers forced their way into a room at Kenneth Douglas’s house in High Street, Alyth, after he had barricaded himself in.

Police were so concerned by his continued “aggressive” behaviour that neighbours were evacuated from their houses, the area was cordoned off and a police armed response unit and negotiators were called to the scene.

Depute fiscal John Malpass said there had been a dispute between Douglas and some neighbours who had contacted the police concerning excessive noise from the accused’s house.

“Officers arrived around noon and found that music levels were OK,” he said. “However, these residents later saw Douglas when they were outside. He threw a wheelie bin which narrowly missed one of the people, smashed some car windows and appeared to be carrying a small axe.”

The neighbours contacted police. Mr Malpass told the court Douglas proceeded to lean out of windows and threatened to stab and kill officers if they tried to enter. Mr Malpass said Douglas threw an axe at two officers and told police the only way they would get him out would be if they shot him.

“The accused then began smashing windows in his house, with glass shards landing near officers below,” Mr Malpass said.

“He had cut himself and smeared blood over his face and body. Then the accused said he would blow up the house by releasing his domestic gas.”

“Firearms officers and negotiators were called in but the accused refused to communicate with them,” Mr Malpass said. “The incident ended when firearms officers forced their way into a room in the house.”

Douglas, 36, c/o Perth Prison, admitted that on December 6 at High Street, Alyth, he threw various items and objects about the street, brandished an axe, struck windows, shouted and swore and uttered threats of violence to residents.

He also pled guilty to a charge that on the same date and location he uttered threats of violence towards police officers, refused to desist, armed himself with two knives, threatened to stab and kill police, smashed windows causing glass shards to fall, threw an axe in the direction of two officers, held a knife against his throat and threatened to blow his house up by releasing domestic gas if police entered the property.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis deferred sentence until April 6 for reports.