Highland siege man threatened to execute 'hostage'
A MAN who caused a four-hour stand off with police was high on drugs and thought he was in the movies, a court has heard.
John Mackay (39) told trained negotiators he had a hostage and was going to execute him if he didn’t get a plane to North Africa.
Depute fiscal Roderick Urquhart told Inverness Sheriff Court that Mackay had been drinking heavily at a friend’s flat and they had possibly being indulging in drugs.
Mackay, of Kenneth Street, admitted a breach of the peace at a flat in the city’s Mackintosh Road on August 31 last year.
"They were all drinking heavily and possibly indulging in other intoxicants," said the fiscal who told the court one of the men left the flat around midnight and contacted police saying there was an incident.
When police arrived the man was unable to idetify the correct flat.
It was about 2am before they found it and Mackay and another man came to a window. Mackay in an aggressive mood.
Mackay refused the officers entry and began shouting and swearing. He then closed the windows and curtains.
He returned holding a pair of open scissors to his neck.
"He threatened to shoot, stab and bomb the officers and their families and then demanded a jet to fly to North Africa or he would execute his hostage," said the fiscal. "He re-appeared later at the window holding a knife."
Sheriff Margaret Neilson heard trained negotiators were brought in and there was a stand-off for several hours before police in riot gear forced their way into the ground floor apartment at 7.15am.
The following day Mackay was interviewed and told police he had been tripping on acid and speed "and thought he was in the movies", said the fiscal
Defence agent Marc Dickson said the unemployed father-of-two had a poor record and "his behaviour made little sense".
The Sheriff told Mackay he had an appalling record as she jailed him for 16 months.
