A raging thug set his “friendly” dog on police officers during a tense stand-off in Kinross.
Michael Horne ordered his Staffordshire bull terrier to attack officers as they surrounded his town centre home.
However, the 22-year-old watched in despair as his pet bounded towards officers with its tail wagging, before jumping into their van.
Perth Sheriff Court heard lorry driver Horne threatened to rape, stab and blow-up police during the late night disturbance in June last year.
Horne appeared in the dock on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear and alarm, at his home in Avenue Road.
He admitted repeatedly charging at police, making violent threats against officers and directing a dog to assault them.
Threatened to stab police
Fiscal depute Nicole Lewis told the court the drama unfolded in the early hours of June 2, 2020.
“Police were on mobile patrol, looking to speak to the accused and others about an unrelated manner.
“They saw one of the people they were looking for sitting in the accused’s home, through a window.
“Officers pulled up outside the property.
“The accused was seen waving his arms around at his front door.”
She said Horne told police: “What the f*** are you doing at my door. F*** off.”
Ms Lewis said: “Police tried to calm him down.
“He told them: ‘I’m going to f***ing stab you.
“I’ll see you in the street and I’ll kick your c*** in.”
Horne called the police “pigs” and told them: “I’m going to make it my life to f*** you up”.
Good dog
Ms Lewis said: “The accused then picked up his dog and put it down on the ground outside his house.
“It approached the police in a friendly manner and they placed it in the police van.”
The court heard Horne continue his tirade from his doorstep.
“The accused was in a highly agitated manner,” said Ms Lewis.
“He continued to make threats of violence towards police.
“He then charged down the steps towards officers and was told to get back but he charged at them again.
“The accused was again told to get back, before he lunged towards the officers.
“One of the officers deployed their PAVA spray directly at the accused.
“He went back into his house and was seen shouting and swearing at the window.”
Police called for back-up and officers with protective gear and riot shields arrived on the scene.
“At this point, the accused surrendered himself.”
‘Quite a performance’
Trouble continued in the police van en route to Dunfermline police HQ, the court heard.
Horne called a female officer a “f***ing whore” and threatened to rape her.
He made threats to stab police and “blow up their homes,” Ms Lewis said.
Sheriff Ian Anderson remarked: “That’s quite a performance”.
Horne’s solicitor told the court: “He has made some significant changes in his life.
“He has moved away from negative influences in Perth and has now found employment.”
Horne was placed on a structured deferred sentence until February 23.
