Axe maniac threatened to kill mum and child at GP surgery

A patient who threatened to kill a mother and child at a GP surgery claimed he had been driven to the brink by his chronic insomnia. Steven Welsh, 52, also blamed his lack of sleep for staging a stand-off with police who turned up at his home and found him with an axe. Perth Sheriff Court was told that Welsh had visited the doctor after returning from a summer holiday in Spain with an illness. Solicitor Finlay Crowe, defending, told the court : "He has for some time suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and insomnia. Upon returning from a holiday in Spain this year, he had a bug which caused him to go to the GP. He was given anti-biotics and sleeping medication to deal with his insomnia. "He misplaced these and that led him to go a number of weeks without them and for his insomnia to worsen. He experienced blackouts and was scared to leave the house to get further medication. He eventually did when the symptoms got so bad and the offence was committed when he went back to the surgery. He accepts what he said. "He is deeply remorseful for saying it and for the distress caused. He returned home and met police officers at his door. He previously had bad experiences with police officers so the situation was fragile. It made him apprehensive to come out, albeit he eventually did. He is currently on slow-releasing medication. He enjoys fairly good sleep most nights and he's in a much better place now." Welsh admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive way by making death threats at Taymount Surgery and having an axe in his possession as he shouted and swore at police at his Perth home on June 26. Jobless Welsh made the death threats during a conversation with his GP and when he was quizzed about the remark he replied: "I said what I said." When the female GP said she would have to report the comments to police , Welsh replied: "Do whatever the f*** you want." Fiscal depute Laurelle Johnstone said: "Owing to the accused’s comments made at the GP surgery, there was an urgency to trace him to check on his welfare and prevent him from carrying out the threats." Officers found his front door unlocked and spotted a log-splitting axe in his hallway. Police left, but came back about 40 minutes later to seize the axe. Welsh refused them entry and officers continued to negotiate with him through the door and an open window. When one officer attempted to step closer, Welsh shouted: "don't open the f*****g door." He placed both hands on the axe and held it by his side. The constable drew his Taser and Welsh put the tool down. Welsh walked over to the officer and said: "I don't give a f*** if you've got a Taser. Hit me in the face, I don't give a f***." More officers were called to the scene as negotiations continued, and they eventually stormed into his home. "Police officers in the hallway drew their Tasers and red-dotted the accused," Ms Johnstone told the court. "The accused then threw the axe to the floor, put up his hands and complied with instructions." Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC imposed 200 hours unpaid work and placed Welsh under social work supervision for 15 months.