A man who was due to be sentenced for threatening to shoot police during an armed siege has died in custody.
Lee Dyce triggered an incident involving scores of officers – including specially trained siege negotiators – on Madras Street in Inverness, on April 18 this year.
The 37-year-old appeared in court on July 30 and admitted four offences including throwing shards of glass out of a window and brandishing a knife.
He was due to be sentenced yesterday but court officials cancelled that hearing.
It then emerged that Dyce died last week at HMP Inverness, where he was being held on remand.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Thursday August 22, we were made aware of the death of a 37-year-old man within HMP Inverness.
Death not being treated as suspicious
“The death is not being treated as suspicious and his family have been made aware.
“A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
Dyce only left prison two weeks before the April 18 police stand-off, which went on for almost four hours.
It began when a fire alarm sounded at a block of flats in which Dyce lived.
The alarm triggered a call to fire crews, who attended the scene as a precaution.
Firefighters spoke to Dyce outside the block of flats and described as being “in an agitated state”.
It was at that point that Dyce went back into his flat and started shouting that he would stab anyone who came in.
Describing the sequence of events at the July 30 hearing, Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh said: “He entered the block of flats and the fire service called the police to ensure his welfare and that of any persons in the building.
‘I have a 9mm gun in here’
“Police attended at 3.11pm and made attempts to converse with him for approximately one hour.”
The court heard how, Dyce shouted: “If you come through the door I will blow a f***ing hole in you. I have a 9mm gun in here. Don’t believe me? I do.
“It’s either I murder you or you murder me. I will stab the f*** out of you. I will jump out of this window.”
After punching holes in the flat’s windows he threw shards of glass to the ground “showing a complete disregard for the safety of any persons in the vicinity,” Ms Duffy-Welsh added.
In total, six police officers, six firefighters and four police negotiations to diffuse the incident.
Eventually, at around 6.35pm, Dyce allowed police to come in.
Jail time was ‘highly probable’
At the July 30 hearing, Dyce admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and threatening to shoot and stab police with a knife he was brandishing.
He also admitted smashing windows and throwing shards of glass out the window.
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald adjourned sentencing to allow for a background report to be written.
She warned Dyce it was “highly probable” he would be jailed.
In response to his death, a spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report on the death of a 37-year-old man in Inverness on August 22.
“An investigation into the death is ongoing and significant developments will be shared with the family throughout the investigation.”
A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “Every death, whether in prison custody or in our communities, is a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual.
“Following the death of someone in our care, Police Scotland are advised, and the matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
“Fatal accident inquiries are held in due course.”
