Court told of weapons haul

The accused had called police to his home, the court heard

A court has been told how a man was found with a haul of weapons including a machine gun, a semi-automatic pistol and a crossbow in his Aberdeenshire farmhouse.

The High Court in Stonehaven heard Campbell Swales, 36, had called police to his remote home near Macduff in May claiming there was someone in the house.

Two officers found him in a "highly agitated state" and noticed what appeared to be a crossbow and sheath knife in the house.

When four officers returned later they found Swales holding an axe. He also had a large sheath knife in his trouser pocket.

The officers said he claimed he was hearing voices and seeing things hanging from the roof.

The court heard searches uncovered a loaded semi-automatic pistol, an elderly machine gun, night sights a deactivated AK47 rifle, knives, crossbow bolts and ammunition.

Swales also pointed police to a pump action shotgun.

Officers recovered books on the Hungerford massacre and the Wako siege.

Swales admitted four firearms charges.

Sentence was deferred for background reports.