A knifeman who marched into a police station and asked to be arrested has still not given an explanation for his bizarre behaviour.
Stephen Gemmell made the unusual request at Dingwall Police Station on September 13 this year.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told one possible reason for his actions was that he wanted to “dip out of society” and be looked after in prison.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said that Gemmell, of Peffery Road, Dingwall, showed the knife to staff at the station and then handed it over when asked.
“He said if he was to be released he would find another,” Mr Weir added.
‘It is very difficult to get anything from him’
Gemmell’s defence lawyer, George Mathers, said his client had refused to tender a guilty plea until the last minute.
Mr Mathers told Sheriff Sara Matheson that he explained to Gemmell that he would receive a discount in his sentence if he pled at a very early stage.
“He has never given me a proper explanation,” Mr Mathers said.
“It is very difficult to get anything from him. The only conclusion I can make is that he is a man who can’t cope and wanted to dip out of society and go to prison where he would be looked after.”
Mr Mathers added that the 37-year-old had a family of nine brothers and sisters but doesn’t speak to any of them following a falling out.
Sheriff Matheson jailed Gemmell for a year, backdated to September 14 when he was remanded in custody.