A man who wanted to go to prison dialled 999 and made threats to kill the next "man, woman or child" he saw if he wasn't arrested.
Jason Parker made the chilling claims during a phone call to the emergency services from his Walker home on April 26.
And the 48-year-old had his wish granted when his own solicitor made a rare application in court for him to be remanded into custody.
Parker, of Cresswell Street, appeared in the dock on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to one count of making threats to kill.
Jeff Taylor, prosecuting at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court, said Parker rang the police on Sunday and immediately said he wanted to be locked-up.
"The defendant speaks to an officer," Mr Taylor continued. "He says 'I will top the next person I see. If police don't arrest me in the next five minutes, I will walk out and kill the next person I see, man, woman or child'.
"He is, of course, arrested."
The court heard that, during interview, Parker was asked if his intention was to kill a random person, which he agreed that it was.
Despite being repeatedly asked by officers, Parker refused to explain why he wanted to go to prison.
Mark Styles, defending, said: "It's very rare that a defence lawyer says this but I simply ask that you remand him in custody until the next hearing."
Granting his wishes and committing him to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence, District Judge Paul Currer said: "There's clearly a lot going on with regards to what's happening with you.
"It's complicated and you need to be sentenced at the crown court. Because of the seriousness of the offence, I'm remanding you in custody."
Parker will next appear for sentence at Newcastle Crown Court on May 26.
