A MAN arrested after an armed stand-off at his home will be sentenced in the New Year following the preparation of psychiatric reports.

Robert Stephen Thomson, 38, admitted a charge of affray following the siege which saw armed police surround his terraced home in Blackhouse, near Chester-le-Street, for more than 24-hours last month.

Thomson was eventually arr-ested and police recovered two large knives from the house, in Halls Buildings.

He appeared before Durham Crown Court on Monday after being committed for sentence from Chester-le-Street magistrates' court.

But sentence was adjourned after defending barrister Carl Gumsley asked for psychiatric reports to be drawn up on Thomson.

Mr Gumsley said that at the time of the incident, on November 13 and 14, Thomson was 'clearly suffering some sort of mental health problem.'

Adjourning sentence, pending preparation of reports, Recorder Graham Hyland further remanded Thomson in custody.