A man who threatened to kill a police officer and eat his liver has been ordered to carry out hundreds of hours of unpaid work.
Darroch Johnston shouted blood-curdling threats to “wield” a rifle, shoot officers and cut their throats with a knife.
When the 40-year-old was arrested and taken into custody, he told a policeman that he was going to kill him and eat his liver.
Johnston appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted to the disturbing outbursts.
Some of his erratic behaviour had been captured on CCTV camera but Johnston’s defence solicitor told the court that his client was too embarrassed to watch it.
‘You’re dead when I see you next’
Johnston was originally detained after police were called to an address on School Road, Aberdeen, around 9:30pm on June 15 last year.
Fiscal depute Ellen Barr said: “The accused was carried down the stairs of the hallway and was placed on the ground.
“He then kicked a constable to the leg several times and hit another officer in the chest and arm.
“As officers placed him in leg restraints, he tried to bite one of them and a spit hood was placed over his head,” she said.
While being taken to Kittybrewster police station, Johnston told one officer: “I’m going to kill you and eat your liver”.
He added: “Just you wait. You’re dead when I see you next”.
As officers brought Johnston to the charge bar, he again tried to bite one of them on the arm and stated he would “slit his throat”.
Then he loudly declared: “I wish I could wield a rifle and shoot his head off”.
Johnston pleaded guilty to three charges of assault on police officers and one charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by making threats to kill.
Defence solicitor Tony Burgess told the court that his client was an alcoholic who had abstained for eight years prior to this incident.
“He was unable to get his methadone on that day and his friend gave him a glass of alcohol, which turned into a number of glasses of alcohol,” Mr Burgess explained.
“He cannot remember these events.”
Mr Burgess also said that his client was too embarrassed by his behaviour to watch back the CCTV evidence provided by Police Scotland from that night.
‘You have kept out of trouble’
Sheriff James Hastie told Johnston: “It’s little wonder that you can’t watch back the CCTV footage.
“However, you have kept out of trouble for a long period before this incident and I am prepared to take on board what the social work department has recommended.”
Sheriff Hastie sentenced Johnston, of Bayview Court, Aberdeen, to a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work.
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