A man has admitted wasting police time after falsely claiming to have murdered a man in woodland near his home.
A major search was launched, involving police and coastguard teams, after Donald Macleod lied about stabbing a man to death in Blackmuir Wood, Strathpeffer.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told Macleod, 53, rang police to confess to the imaginary crime and even gave details of what he’d done to the man.
But, as Solicitor Advocate Shahid Latif told the court, this was a “Walter Mitty” crime and “he claimed to kill somebody that already was dead”.
‘It was all made up’
Macleod’s revelations sparked a large-scale search of the area and officers had to reassure concerned residents that a killer wasn’t on the loose.
The court was told Macleod phoned police at lunchtime on April 6 and confessed to the killing.
In subsequent interviews Macleod told officers that he and his ‘victim’ had argued and then agreed to meet at the woods to “have it out”.
He said a fight broke out and he stabbed the man before fleeing the scene when he heard a car approaching.
At 4.30pm, officers requested the assistance of the Coastguard for a search operation, and three rescue teams, as well as a senior Coastguard officer, were sent to help.
Speaking at the time, a Coastguard spokesman said: “At 4.30pm, we were contacted by Police Scotland requesting assistance to search the area near Strathpeffer.
“We mobilised the Inverness, the Cromarty and Nairn coastguard rescue teams along with a senior coastguard officer.”
A police spokesman said: “Local residents may see a presence from emergency services in the area while these inquiries continue but there is not considered to be any threat to the wider public.”
However, fiscal depute Alison Young told the court: “It was all made up.”
Subsequent investigations revealed the man named as Macleod’s alleged target was already deceased and could not possibly have been his victim.
Macleod, of Park Terrace, Strathpeffer, admitted the charge of wasting police time.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson deferred sentencing to November 1 for reports.