Stand-off with police

A man barricaded himself in a bedroom at his home and warned cops during a stand-off that he had a gun.

Michael Fletcher also threatened to fire a crossbow at the officers.

They eventually used a taser gun to subdue him.

Fletcher, 37, of Chestnut Grove, Blantyre, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour on June 4 and 5.

Armed officers were called out after 10pm following a report that a man had weapons.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard he tried to force entry to a house in Highland Avenue, Blantyre, before going to his own home and turning aggressive when police arrived.

Fletcher brandished a piece of metal, threw pieces of glass and other missiles at officers, threatened to self-harm and cut his wrist with a fragment of glass.

He also admitted lunging at PC Kirsty Hannigan and trying to stab her with a piece of glass.

Fletcher was eventually arrested, but his aggressive behaviour continued when he was taken to the accident and emergency unit at Hairmyres Hospital.

Although he needed treatment for the effects of the taser gun, no one else was injured during the disturbance.

After studying background reports, Sheriff Thomas Millar expressed concern that Fletcher had been unable to get the help he asked for before this incident happened.

The sheriff told him:“clearly there are difficulties which you recognised yourself before this. Unfortunately, you did not get the help you were requesting.

“The recommendation in the report is for a drug treatment and testing order which I’m prepared to follow.”

The DTTO will run for 18 months.