Hollister, formerly of Iochdar but now living in Lochboisdale, told a trial he feared “hit men” were coming to attack him, claiming the two officers barged into his caravan “like thugs” without identifying themselves.

But it affected themselves as badly as their target, Lochmaddy Sheriff Court was told.

He caught one in a tight headlock and had the other pinned down on a seat, forcing both officers to use the CS irritant.

Within 15 seconds of entering 61- year- old William Hollister's small caravan, things descended into chaos.

Two police officers gassed themselves with CS spray when an arrest of an islander went badly wrong in South Uist.

Giving evidence, he said: “I thought they were my ex- wife’s brothers.”

He said they stated: “We are taking you to Lochmaddy,” and in Gaelic, ordered him to “cuir a- mach do làmhan (put out your hands).

“I just panicked. I didn’t know if they were hit men,” he said.

He said his face was “burned” by the CS spray.

In his evidence, North Uist police sergeant, Angus Morrison, highlighted: “All three of us were affected by the CS spray.”

He added: “I have dealt with serious criminals in my 18 years' police service and never had cause to use CS spray before.”

Hollister, who used to wrestle competitively, rapidly became “very aggressive, saying he was not going to be arrested” and trapped the sergeant’s neck in a very firm headlock so he couldn’t move.

“I was in a bit of a predicament at that stage,” observed the officer.

“I’m stuck. I’m helpless. All I could see is the floor of the caravan. My colleague was shouting for Mr Hollister to stop or get sprayed with CS gas.”

Sgt Morrison told defence lawyer Craig Grimes: “It was an unusual set of circumstances in respect of the level of aggression shown to us” by a physically strong man.

The officer stressed the incident “escalated very, very quickly with no warning whatsoever” with very loud shouting from all in a mix of Gaelic and English.

The solicitor said: “So there’s a 61- year- old man in a small caravan and you and your larger colleague go in and use CS spray. Two physically fit police officers in such a small area.”

He added: “Was this payback because he had the audacity to challenge you?"

The solicitor said: “You were on a mission that night - he was going to be arrested and he was coming with you no matter what.”

The officer replied: “He was certainly going to be arrested.”

In the event, they never did get him to a police station.

Paramedics were called and Hollister was taken to hospital with chest problems.

Later, he promised to appear in court voluntarily and subsequently did so.

Mr Grimes maintained police came in heavy handed to a man who was in his sixties and wasn't "the incredible hulk” - who misunderstood who they were. He said Hollister was confused and disorientated while the dim light made their yellow police jackets look the same as high visibility work wear found everywhere.

After trial, Hollister was found guilty of the headlock assault and violently resisting arrest.

He was acquitted of a charge of sitting on top of one police officer and hitting him with his elbow due to the lack of corroboration as the only potential witness was face down in a headlock at the time.

The original charge of assault which sent the police officers to his caravan was found not proven.

Sheriff Chris Dickson, who deferred sentence for six months, said: “I see you were going through difficulties at the time but your behaviour was not acceptable.”

In January 2005, Hollister saved a family of four during a deadly storm which lashed South Uist. He waded through rising flood water to rescue them from their swamped car, carrying some of them to safety.