A Dundee thug triggered an armed police manhunt across the north-east of the city after he showed a bingo worker his machete.
Jed Boyd sparked the mass response after he walked to the front door of Mecca Bingo in Douglasfield in October last year.
He was spotted hours later by a member of the public after he dropped the massive knife in full public view.
A passing driver saw Boyd stoop to pick up the blade on Longtown Road, before he waved it in a menacing fashion towards him.
The quick-thinking driver tore off, before calling police from a safe distance.
This triggered an armed response unit to be scrambled, as well as officers and dogs from the canine unit.
Bingo
Dundee Sheriff Court heard a search took place and a police dog called Rocky helped in the apprehension of the criminal and the discovery of the blade.
Boyd had earlier tossed the machete onto the roof of St Francis boxing club as he attempted to escape.
Appearing from custody at court, he pled guilty to possessing a machete and acting in a threatening and abusive manner over a two-day period, on October 21 at the bingo hall and again on October 22 on Longtown Road.
Depute fiscal Lynne Mannion told the court: “Between 7pm and 9pm on October 21, the witness at the Mecca bingo spotted the accused at the front door.
“At around 9.30pm he returned. He approached the front door of the bingo hall.
“He lifted his top and revealed a machete tucked into his waistband of his jeans.
“Police were called and attended and a search was carried out.”
Waved machete
The fiscal continued: “At around 8am the next morning on Longtown Road, a driver saw the accused drop something onto the pavement.
“The accused spotted the driver and opened his jacket.
“He waved a large machete-style knife in his direction.
“Police were contacted, a search for a white male in a black hoody with a machete was carried out.”
The court heard how Boyd, after being spotted by police, was seen throwing something onto the roof of St Francis boxing club.
Police later recovered the machete from the building.
Rocky to the rescue
The court was told because of the nature of the incident, armed response unit officers were called to assist.
Ms Mannion added: “PC Smith deployed police dog Rocky.
“The accused’s jeans were spotted and the accused was asked to show himself.
“He was searched and there was a negative result (for a knife).
“PC Smith and dog Rocky carried out a search and found a knife.”
Boyd, listed as being of HMP Perth, will be sentenced in March after Sheriff Paul Brown called for social work and restriction of liberty assessment reports.
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