A gun assault trial collapsed after the alleged victim told a court he lied about being threatened with a firearm.
Reace Stewart said he had been “paranoid” and “under the influence of valium” when he claimed he had a gun placed under his chin.
He also said the only contact he had had with one of the alleged attackers was with his own brother who had given him a hug after he fell over.
Dundee Sheriff Court was shown CCTV of the alleged confrontation outside the Tesco Express store on Strathmartine Road.
Christopher McIntosh, 36, Rory Starkey, 22, Darren Thomson, 27, and 32-year-old Michael McIntosh, all prisoners at Perth, denied assaulting Mr Stewart on January 24.
All four were also alleged to have behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards Mr Stewart between December 25 and January 24 by repeatedly uttering threats to him. Claire McIntosh, 33, of Prosen Road, Kirriemuir, and Christopher McIntosh also denied being concerned in the supply of heroin between the same dates.
But Mr Stewart told the jury he had lied in his police statements that started the case.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson read parts of Mr Stewart’s statement, which claimed Starkey “told me the Forfar boys were behind me”.
It said: “Three guys held me down. I then felt something cold under my chin being pressed against me. I could tell it was a gun.”
Miss Robertson asked: “Are you saying you were so under the influence you lied to police and said there was a gun pressed up against you?”
Mr Stewart said: “The only way I can think I said that is I had lots of other people after me. Mum was always telling me to tell the police and that I should say about getting protection.”
Miss Robertson said: “You made up that somebody put a gun to you because you thought that might get you police protection?”
Mr Stewart replied: “Yes, I think so.”
Describing the CCTV footage, Mr Stewart added: “I tried to run away from Rory and I tripped. Somebody helped me up – it was my brother Darren – and I started to get emotional and my brother gave me a hug.”
Starkey’s solicitor Paul Parker Smith said his client was prepared to admit a reduced charge of assault.
Ms Robertson said she would accept that plea along with the not guilty pleas by the other four accused.
Starkey was jailed for three months by Sheriff Brown.
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