TWO men “out of control” on drink and drugs rained slates and tv aerials at police in a two-hour roof-top siege in the early hours of a winter’s day.

Nigel Marsh and Jake Langthorne were said to have behaved like they were in the Wild West, as they wandered along the roofs of five terraced houses, shouting abuse at the police below and hurling missiles.

One, at least, bragging about other crimes committed earlier on the morning of February 17 this year.

Durham Crown Court heard that by 6am they came down via the skylight of one of the houses, in Blackhall Colliery, and after Marsh briefly came out of the property threatening officers with a hammer, the police were able to arrest them when challenged inside at Taser-point.

Laurie Scott, prosecuting, said they left a trail of damage to the roofs in the row of houses in Tenth Street, while a police car parked below was also left badly dented and with a smashed windscreen.

Miss Scott said earlier the pair had barged into the property, where they were known by the householder, and Langthorne went to a bedroom to remonstrate with the woman’s daughter over a perceived threat relating to an unpaid debt.

As the householder ran outside to ring police, she saw Marsh setting fire to some upstairs curtains, while both caused damage to furnishings and furniture inside the house.

Marsh made full admissions over all his activities that morning to police in interview, but Langthorne made no comment.

Thirty-year-old Marsh, of Eighth Street, Blackhall, admitted affray, arson and two counts of criminal damage over that incident.

He also admitted attempted robbery and robbery at houses of known drug dealers in nearby Horden earlier that morning, in what the court was told are so-called “taxing” offences, as they are often unlikely to be reported.

Marsh also admitted several other offences, including dangerous driving and theft of a car, over incidents committed earlier in the year in Blackhall, in one when he drove at speed towards a police vehicle.

Langthorne, of 11th Street, Horden, admitted affray and two counts of criminal damage, relating to the siege incident, which put him in breach of a two-year suspended prison sentence from last year.

Liam O’Brien, for Marsh, told the court that despite having previous offences on his record the crimes committed earlier this year were “a big step up” the scale of offending, and apparently “came from nowhere".

But he added that it was at a time when Marsh was leading something of a “meaningless” life, taking drink and drugs to a “greater and greater degree".

Neil Bennett, for Langthorne, said his involvement in activities that night would result in his first full prison sentence, at the age of 28.

Mr Bennett said Langthorne, a drug-taker from a young age, was on a “downward spiral” at the time after problems arose in a relationship.

Judge Jonathan Carroll told the pair their behaviour that morning was, “out of control”, redolent of scenes from, “the Wild West”.

He sentenced Marsh as a “dangerous offender” to an extended determinate jail term of six years and eight months, only to be considered for parole after serving two-thirds, to be followed by a four-year licence period.

Langthorne was given a 39-month prison sentence, including 15 months activated from the previous suspended sentence.