A THUG who threatened to pour boiling water over police after barricading his front door during a stand-off at a house in Ayr has been jailed.

Sean McCulloch told officers he would shoot them and threatened to set a fire at the property in Ellisland Square on September 4, 2022 after police attended over a noise complaint.

The court heard the 27-year-old then barricaded the doors - believing that police were there to arrest his younger brother.

When returned to the town's sheriff court for sentencing following the preparation of background reports, McCulloch was give a two-year backdated sentence - and was told he'll be further monitored when he is eventually released.

Procurator fiscal depute Rosslyn Walsh said: “At 1am police were actioned to attend the locus in response to a noise complaint. Police noted the lights on and a window open. 

“The accused appeared at the door and the door was barricaded shut. 

“He shouted ‘f*** off, police scum’. He then punched the glass, which shattered on police, while shouting aggressively, stating he would shoot them. 

“The accused threw items out the top window shouting ‘f***ing clowns’ and ‘f*** off, fannies’. 

“He continued throwing items, and stated he would throw boiling water, spitting and threatening to kill officers and set a fire. 

“[A witness] confirmed she was safe but did not engage with police.” 

McCulloch eventually engaged with negotiators at the front door and was taken to Saltcoats police office.

He was later taken to hospital for treatment to a laceration to his hand after punching the glass.  

McCulloch’s younger brother, Mitchell McCulloch, 21, had also been remanded in custody in connection with the same incident, but the Crown accepted a plea from him of not guilty to the same charge. 

Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart said she was concerned at what might happen on McCulloch’s eventual release “due to the nature and extent of the violence and distress” caused during the incident. 

She told McCulloch: “You should rightly be appalled by this behaviour. There is no alternative to custody, I want to make that clear to you."

When he returned to court for sentencing, defence solicitor Tony Currie explained his client had had issues with alcohol and his mental health for many years.  

He told Sheriff MacTaggart: “He plead guilty to the indictment in its entirety. It is not the most positive [social work] report, but something I’m keen on the court to consider is his intention to plead guilty in the knowledge this would attract a custodial sentence. 

"He is a man who has issues with his mental health for a number of years. 

“Police came regarding a noise disturbance. He misinterpreted that they were taking away his younger brother, and things descended. 

“Mr McCulloch has been very clear to me that if his brother’s case were dealt with differently, he would plead guilty. He has never wavered from that position." 

Sheriff MacTaggart said: “Mr McCulloch, I’m going to take into account you have always wanting matters resolved, I will also backdate the sentence." 

McCulloch was given a two-year sentence, reduced from one of 32 months because of his plea, and was told the jail term would be backdated to when he was first remanded last September.

He will be put on a six-month 'supervised release' order when he is allowed out of jail.