TWO men involved in a rooftop siege in which tiles were thrown at police and vehicles in the street below were told to expect to receive “significantly long” prison sentences.

The warning was given to Nigel Marsh, 29, and 28-year-old Jake Langthorne after they admitted charges arising from the four-hour stand-off in Blackhall Colliery on the morning of Saturday, February 17.

Appearing via video link at Durham Crown Court from the city’s nearby prison, they both pleaded guilty to a charge of affray, threatening unlawful violence, covering events at the address in Tenth Street during the course of the incident, from about 4.30am onwards.

They each also admitted two counts of damaging property, relating to windows and a chimney at the house, plus a police car parked below.

Marsh, of Eighth Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted further charges of attempted robbery of a woman, trying to take money from her, robbery of a man, in which he took a mobile phone, and arson, relating to bedroom curtains at the address.

Liam O’Brien, for Marsh, said he has admitted other car-crime related matters at the magistrates’ court, which have also been sent to the crown court for sentence.

Judge Christopher Prince agreed to adjourn sentence on both Marsh, and Langthorne, who is of Burdon Court, Horden, to allow for preparation of background reports by the Probation Service.

He also asked for impact statements to be sought from victims in the case.

Adjourning the case for three weeks, the judge told the defendants: “You will both, of course, receive significantly long sentences in due course for this offending.”