Man in six-hour armed siege is sent to prison

Published 25 Aug 2010 09:30

A MAN has been jailed for nine months following a six-hour armed siege at his Tullibody home.

Scott Barclay (40) had been drinking all of the previous day when he dialled 999 at around 2am on the 20 October last year and asked for police to attend at his home in The Orchard.

At an earlier hearing Alloa Sheriff Court was told by fiscal depute Jim Graham that on their arrival police found Barclay armed with a .22 air rifle which he pointed at the officers who were standing six-feet away.

One of the officers, PC Brian McNab, had to move to avoid being struck by the weapon. The constable asked Barclay to put down the air rifle or CS spray would be used.

The accused then went back into his home and locked the door.

During his time in the house Barclay threw items such as a TV, microwave and rubbish bags out of the window at police.

On several occasions the accused was seen pointing the air rifle out of the window.

He surrendered just before 8am after police negotiators had been called in.

Deferred

Sentencing on Barclay had been deferred until Thursday to establish whether a conversion kit, found in his home, had been added to the gun which would require the air rifle to be licensed.

Tests revealed that the gun had been modified and Barclay was not in possession of such a licence.

Barclay pled guilty on indictment to having a firearm with the intent to cause people to believe unlawful violence would be used against them and a breach of the peace.

Defence solicitor George Higgins said his client had a chronic alcohol problem which had caused psychiatric problems.

He added, “In his befuddled state of mind he interpreted the police behaviour as intending to harm him.”

Mr Higgins asked for probation or a deferral of sentence for his client as he now regularly attends Falkirk Royal Infirmary as an out patient.

Sheriff David Mackie said the offence raised serious issues regarding public safety and police officers safety and only a custodial sentence would suffice.

Barclay was sentenced to nine months in prison, reduced from two years due to his early plea on the firearm charge.

He was also sentenced to eight months in prison, down from 12 months, for the breach of the peace.

Sheriff Mackie added that the sentences would run concurrently.

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