Murder fears caused man to arm himself with knives, court told

A DUNBAR man armed himself with three knives after rape and murder threats were made to his family.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court. File picture: Ian Georgeson

Jason Stewart took the knives from his home and made his way to the town’s unmanned police station where he eventually phoned 101 for police assistance.

But when officers arrived they spotted Stewart sitting outside the station with the knives on the ground.

The officers believed that “agitated” Stewart had been drinking alcohol and soon managed to take hold of him and separate him from the blades.

Stewart, from Lammermuir Crescent, then began shouting, swearing and threatening the officers with violence during the subsequent struggle.

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The 27-year-old appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, when he pleaded guilty to three charges.

Fiscal depute Ann MacNeill told the court Stewart called the non-emergency line at around 2.40am on April 12 last year.

Ms MacNeill said: “The accused phoned 101 and told the call handler he was outside Dunbar police station and had received threats. He had a number of knives at his feet. Officers attended at the scene and they saw the accused with three knives at his feet. He was agitated and had been drinking – the officers then took hold of him.”

The fiscal added Stewart began struggling with police.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Campbell said his client had a “long-standing alcohol problem” and was currently attending the Ritson Clinic for treatment.

Mr Campbell told the court Stewart had received calls from an unknown source threatening to “kill and rape his parents” and had taken the knives for protection.

Sheriff Frank Crowe deferred sentence to 
March 8 for the preparation of reports.

Stewart admitted to possessing three kitchen knives at Dunbar police station on April 12, 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and threatening police officers inside a police van on the same date.

Stewart also admitted to a third charge of failing to appear for a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on December 22 last year.