A drug user’s eight day session ended in a seven-hour stand-off with 30 police officers, 10 firefighters and two paramedic crews.
Alistair Christie threatened to commit suicide from the roof of an NHS office and smashed up the inside of the building during the stand-off, causing £5,449 worth of damage.
Christie, 33, caused the scene at Maryfield House, Mains Loan, on the night of April 26 to 27 – in the height of lockdown, when emergency services were already under significant pressure due to the pandemic.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Christie had been up for eight days prior to the incident, using drugs to keep himself awake, and was seen inside the building snorting a white substance from a pair of scissors.
Fiscal Depute Eilidh Robertson told the court Christie first came to the attention of police after he phoned his friend to tell her he was going to commit suicide.
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The friend phoned officers, who then attended at Maryfield House and saw Christie on the roof, claiming to have taken an overdose.
The fiscal said: “The accused was incoherent, aggressive and said he would fight police if they were to force entry into the building.
“He could be seen going in and out of the office building through a window and took hold of the blinds and pulled them off, causing damage to them.
“He was seen holding scissors at various points, shouted and swore and was aggressive, threatening to stab a police dog if officers were to send the dog to him.”
The fiscal said that around 3am Christie’s behaviour began to “escalate” and he dangled his legs over the edge of a balcony, threatened to jump off, smashed a window and continued to shout and swear at police, firefighters and paramedics.
She said: “Police forced entry and saw the accused holding a pair of scissors and snorting what police believed to be cocaine.
“They forced him into a corner and began to negotiate with him. At 4.40am the accused agreed to leave.”
Christie was taken to hospital where he was given medication to contain his behaviour. He admitted having taken a cocktail of drugs to stay awake for eight days.
During the seven hour incident, 30 police officers, 10 firefighters and two paramedic crews were on the scene.
The damage Christie caused to the office – totalling £5,449 – was to windows, blinds, cables, conference calling equipment, cupboard doors, a fence and other items which he threw around.
Christie, a prisoner at Perth, admitted two charges against him, one of vandalism and a second of aggressive behaviour, both at Maryfield House, Mains Loan, on April 26 and 27.
Sheriff Tom Hughes said there were strong mitigating factors in the case and jailed Christie for 12 months, backdated to April 18.
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