A Montrose teenager took his mum hostage, threatened to blow up his house and then told police he would pour a boiling concoction over anyone who tried to stop him.
The 17-year-old caused a one-hour stand-off with armed officers after his mum confronted him about a cannabis cultivation in his bedroom.
The teenager – who can’t be named for legal reasons – told his mum he’d set the house on fire and hold them hostage if anyone came near him.
He then picked up two kitchen knives and stabbed a wall, window ledge and stairs – prompting his 15-year-old sister to jump out of a window to get to safety wearing only a dressing gown.
Police arrived minutes later and found her barefoot in freezing winter weather, hysterical and saying her brother was “holding her mum hostage”.
Officers managed to help the mother escape through a window.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “He said he would cover his mother in petrol and set her on fire. He threatened to pour harmful substances over or stab any police officer who entered the property.
“An officer with 20 years’ experience who was there said ‘The accused was aggressive, animated and sincere in his threats and I personally believed he was capable of carrying these threats out’.
The court also heard the teenager filled a kettle and made a concoction of bleach, sugar and boiling water which he threatened to throw over anyone who entered the house.
“Once the accused saw the firearms team outside the property, he then willingly dropped the two knives and exited through the living room window.”
As he was placed in cuffs, he told police to pass a message to his mother, saying ‘Tell her she’s dead’.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty on indictment to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and producing cannabis on December 20 last year at an address in Montrose and breaching bail in April this year by entering Montrose contrary to conditions imposed on him.
Defence solicitor Grant Bruce said: “He’s back living with his mother now.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports.
The teenager was released on bail.
