A BOOZED-UP man sparked a major incident involving all three emergency services after barricading himself inside a Greenock flat and starting a fire.

Colin Pimm — who also slashed himself with a knife and threatened to jump from a first floor window — caused traffic chaos, with a number of east end roads having to be closed.

Police forced their way into the property in Belville Street and immediately saw the fire but Pimm, 34, then fled to the kitchen and used a fridge to block its door.

Moments later he brandished a knife and inflicted a large cut to one of his arms before clambering onto the window ledge and threatening to leap from it.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how police conducted tense negotiations with Pimm before eventually managing to coax him into giving himself up.

Prosecutor Pamela Brady said: “A major incident was declared and the fire service was called.

“Police had to force entry amid concerns that the accused may be injured, and found that he had lit a small fire using clothing.

“One officer got some water from a neighbour and extinguished the fire.” Fiscal depute Mrs Brady added: “The accused then sat on the window ledge and indicated that he intended to jump from the window.

“This resulted in the closure of surrounding roads.

“Negotiations with him lasted for around 30 minutes.

“The road closures caused disruption to traffic and local residents.” The court heard that Pimm needed 24 stitches to his arm injury at Inverclyde Royal Hospital after paramedics had treated him at the scene.

He was remanded in custody following the drama on 28 December last year.

Defence lawyer Gerry Keenan said: “Mr Pimm had been taking anti-depressants prior to this incident.

“In addition to his mental health problems, matters were not helped by the amount of alcohol he had taken.

“The nature and extent of his depression was self evident.” Sheriff Thomas Ward ordered Pimm to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to prison.

He also placed him on an alcohol treatment programme and under strict supervision in the community for a year.

If Pimm breaches the sheriff’s ruling in any way he will go directly to jail.

Sheriff Ward told him: “There will be a progress review in three months time to see if you’re doing what you’ve been told to do.”