A MAN has admitted threatening police with a machete before armed officers shot him with a Taser in Tillicoultry earlier this year.

Chris McAra, 31, pleaded guilty to three charges at Falkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday, July 28.

They include being in possession of a weapon, namely a machete, in Chapelle Crescent without a reasonable excuse or lawful authority on May 29.

He also behaved in a threatening or abusive manner on the same date by shouting, swearing, repeatedly uttering threats of violence, repeatedly brandishing a machete, and striking two police vehicles with the weapon.

The second charge goes on to say glass from one of the vehicle's windscreens landed on police officers sitting inside after it was struck, and that McAra repeatedly threatened officers and their families with violence.

And the third charge states he went on to utter a racist remark to a police constable during the incident.

McAra, now a prisoner in HMP Low Moss, appeared in court via video link to confirm he was pleading guilty to the charges this week.

Several other inmates at the same prison had cases calling in Falkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday, and they all had to appear before him.

Prison officers – also appearing via video link – told the court McAra could only be seen last because he was under "special security measures and he can't be with any other prisoners".

After noting the pleas, Sheriff Christopher Shead said he would require background reports before hearing the full circumstances of the offences, or passing sentence.

Solicitor Jim Savage agreed reports would be necessary, and said there were serious concerns about his client's mental state.

He even told the court one of the officers who attended at Chapelle Crescent when McAra kicked off believe he was goading police to kill him.

Sheriff Shead ruled McAra would remain in custody until the case calls again on August 25.

During the incident at Chapelle Crescent, specialist firearms officers discharged a Taser.

Because of this, the matter was referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) so an independent investigation could be carried out into the use of the weapon.

A Pirc spokesperson told the Advertiser: "As is standard procedure, this incident was referred to us by Police Scotland and following an assessment of the circumstances it was decided the actions of the police were proportionate and so no investigation is necessary."