A man behind a dramatic, eight-hour rooftop stand-off with police on a Northumberland street is facing jail.
Officers, negotiators, fire crews and paramedics were all diverted to the scene in Ashington after Liam Johnston scaled the two-storey property and threatened to self-harm. The 32-year-old continued to shout and be aggressive, refused to come down and told police "they'd made his life hell", a court heard.
Officers had initially attended Johnston's address on Maple Street at 5am on July 10 this year to conduct a welfare check on a woman who was also in the property. However, the career crook took exception and climbed out the building and onto the roof.
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April Hall, prosecuting at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court, said Johnston remained on the roof until 1pm. Miss Hall continued: "The defendant climbed up on the roof of the property and threatened to self-harm if the officers entered the address. The defendant then stated that police had made his life hell and they were harassing him."
The court heard that Johnston continued to make threats to stab himself in the neck, so further emergency services were called and remained at the scene until he eventually came down at 1pm. Miss Hall continued: "The whole incident was extremely resource-intensive and stopped the emergency services from serving members of the public."
Johnston was arrested and pleaded guilty to doing an act that caused the unnecessary and prolonged use of the emergency services, which created a risk or caused serious harm to the public. Miss Hall told magistrates that Johnston, who has 17 offences on his record and was also on bail at the time of the stand-off, should be sent to the crown court for sentence.
Matthew Purves, defending, agreed, adding: "I don't think I'm going to be able to persuade you to do anything different." Johnston was released on unconditional bail to next appear at Newcastle Crown Court on December 20 for sentence.
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