A man held a fake gun to the head of a fellow passenger at Arbroath Station to demand a cigarette.

Kevin Ross pulled a fake air pistol on Spaniard Andreas Giallombardo the station on a busy Friday night, Forfar Sheriff Court heard.

His actions sparked a major police incident and police cordoned off several streets around the scene on March 11.

Ross, 43, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Giallombardo, presenting an imitation pistol at him, threatening to shoot him and demanding a cigarette from him, with intent to rob him during the incident.

He further admitted having an imitation firearm without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Ross' not guilty pleas to having the intention of making Mr Giallombardo believe unlawful violence would be used against him, possessing a firearm with intent to commit assault and robbery and threatening to kill Sergeant Andrew Sheppard at Arbroath police station were accepted by the Crown.

The court heard specialist police officers were called in to assist local police before the incident was brought to a safe conclusion.

Fiscal depute Bill Kermode made a Crown motion for the forfeiture of the imitation air pistol, which was not opposed by Ross' lawyer.

The court was told Ross had been held for a mental health assessment but that his condition had improved and he was fit to enter pleas to the charges.

Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentence until August 3 for the preparation of reports, and Ross was remanded in custody.