Oldham man Samuel McConkie avoids jail after rooftop stand-off

A tense stand-off in Oldham ended without prison time for Samuel McConkie, a 40-year-old man with 61 previous convictions. The drama unfolded on Counthill Road on August 25 last year when residents called police after spotting a woman covered in blood wearing only a bra in the street.

When officers arrived, they found McConkie on the roof of the woman's home. From his perch, he hurled roof tiles at police below, damaging a car, and shouted threats suggesting he was armed with a gun. 'Don't come any closer-I've got a nine milly,' he yelled, according to court proceedings.

The stand-off lasted until McConkie eventually came down from the roof, where police discovered he was carrying cocaine. Despite the serious nature of the incident, including breaching a restraining order, McConkie avoided jail time. Instead, he received a 20-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay £500 compensation for the damaged car.

The court heard that McConkie had only recently been released from a short prison sentence and was on licence at the time. His defense lawyer claimed the woman had repeatedly contacted him despite the restraining order, making him a 'hostage to fortune.' The judge described McConkie's behavior as 'disgraceful' but opted for a suspended sentence after prosecutors dropped charges of assault, false imprisonment, and threats to kill.