Crossbow shooter jailed over attempted murder of police officers

Ley fired at the officers from his home in Dundee's Earlston Avenue

A man has been jailed for four years after attempting to murder three armed police officers in a crossbow attack.

Michael Ley fired several bolts at the officers as they took cover behind a police car on Earlston Avenue in Dundee on 14 March.

Police had been called to the scene by a mental health nurse who had been concerned about the 35-year-old's wellbeing.

At a previous hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Ley admitted assaulting the three officers, in the execution of their duty, by repeatedly discharging a crossbow towards them to the danger of life and attempting to murder them.

Lord Stuart told him he would have faced a six-year sentence if not for his guilty plea.

The judge also ordered that he should be under supervision for five years when he is released from prison and can be returned if he breaches conditions.

The court previously heard that Ley, who has convictions for culpable and reckless conduct, knife possession, housebreaking and breach of bail, was psychiatrically assessed in 2009.

He was diagnosed with "drug induced psychosis or drug induced depressive psychosis".

Ley maintained it had not been his intention to hurt anyone during the incident.

The court heard that he was feeling suicidal and "just wanted to die that day".

A community mental health nurse, who had visited him at home, wanted him to go to hospital.

She called officers to assist, but Ley began firing a series of bolts from his bedroom window.

The court heard one officer returned fire using a non-lethal round and that all three believed the accused posed a risk to life.

Officers made an emergency entry to the property using flashbang grenades and detained Ley in a bedroom.

They discovered a sword and a large knife lying on the bed and recovered two crossbows.

'Chronic cannabis addiction'

The court was told Ley "had not been taking his medication and had been consuming cannabis" in the lead up to the incident.

His lawyer, James Laverty, said he had "a chronic cannabis addiction" which he was suffering from in the months leading up to the offence.

He said Ley had also stopped taking his prescribed medication after reaching the view that he was being poisoned.

Mr Laverty added that Ley had made good use of his time in custody and told him he was now drug free.

Lord Stuart told Ley he acknowledged that he had expressed remorse for his actions.

The judge added: "Perhaps the most important mitigating factor is that you now accept that you cannot use cannabis again."