Siege man remains in hospital

Police sealed off streets around Mr Kellett's home

Police in Sunderland are still waiting to interview the man who barricaded himself in his house during a 35-hour siege.

Maurice Kellett locked himself into an upstairs room at his home in Hetton-le-Hole, near Sunderland, on Monday, when bailiffs arrived to repossess the property as payment for court costs of £17,000.

The incident ended late on Tuesday, when police broke in and Mr Kellett, a diabetic, was taken to hospital for a check-up.

Sunderland Royal Infirmary said 59-year-old Mr Kellett, who is diabetic, remains in a stable condition and is being monitored.

Court fees

Northumbria Police will not interview him until he is released from hospital.

The stand-off began at 1300 GMT on Monday after Mr Kellett doused himself with petrol and barricaded himself in over a long-running row about court fees.

Northumbria Police had said Mr Kellett was armed with a Samurai sword and had doused his clothes with petrol, threatening to set himself alight.

Mr Kellett has not yet been charged with any offence.

During the incident police cut off Mr Kellett's light and heating.