Crossbow shooter admits attempted murder of police officers

A man in Dundee admitted attempting to murder three armed police officers during a crossbow attack from his home in the Whitfield area. Michael Ley, 35, fired several bolts at officers as they surrounded a police car in the street on 14 March after a mental health nurse visited his home.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Ley insisted he did not intend to harm the officers, saying he was suicidal and "just wanted to die that day." Prosecutors said the officers had to duck as Ley fired bolts from his bedroom; one officer returned fire with a non-lethal round and all three believed he posed a risk to life. The officers then entered the property using flashbang grenades and detained Ley in a bedroom. A sword and a large knife were found on the bed, and two crossbows were recovered.

Ley admitted assaulting the three officers in the execution of their duty by repeatedly discharging a crossbow toward them to the danger of life and attempting to murder them. The court heard Ley, who has previous convictions for culpable and reckless conduct, knife possession, housebreaking and breach of bail, was psychiatrically assessed in 2009. He was diagnosed with a "drug induced psychosis or drug induced depressive psychosis." After the 14 March incident was brought to an end, Ley was taken into medical care and was arrested when he was discharged. Defence solicitor advocate James Laverty said Ley was currently taking medication and not abusing illicit substances. Lord Stuart adjourned sentence on Ley, who is in custody, for the preparation of a background report and risk assessment.