Three Waitaki District Council employees went to his Palmerston home on September 11, accompanied by two police officers, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
But their numbers made little difference to the 55-year-old’s attitude.
"I’ve got the ability to shoot you c....," Duell said when the group arrived.
The threat prompted them to run for cover and call for back-up, but it was only later they realised it was true.
A search of the defendant’s home turned up a loaded sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun, wrapped in clothing, just metres from where he had issued the threat.
Before that took place, though, Duell fled in his Holden Captiva with his dog in tow.
On State Highway 1, at Blueskin Bay, police deployed road spikes and arrested Duell.
The subsequent search of his house shed some light on his volatility.
"Located on the table, in drawers and on shelves were hundreds of used and unused needles and syringes commonly used for injecting drugs," court documents said.
Duell admitted being a "casual" methamphetamine user.
Counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner explained her client was "very close to his dog", which had triggered his overreaction.
While on bail, she said, Duell had not taken any illicit substances and had been regularly attending counselling.
Judge David Robinson noted the September incident had been preceded by a variety of crimes.
In March and April last year, Duell was caught driving while suspended several times, offences which began only days after he was served with a notice of his ban.
And the defendant’s aggression was again on show in August.
Duell had pulled up at Bayfield Park when officers chanced upon him and placed him under arrest because of outstanding warrants.
He became "agitated" and began reversing away before being blocked by a police car.
Officers managed to open Duell’s door before he could escape and doused him with pepper spray.
The court heard the defendant continued to disobey instructions and had to be physically restrained so handcuffs could be applied.
Judge Robinson said Duell had minimised his crimes during pre-sentence interviews and there was no evidence of remorse.
His counsel had earlier told the court the man was a vehicle dealer and only had the sawn-off gun because he had taken it as payment for a car.
"That necessarily calls into question the company you keep and the business you run, that you would accept a firearm as payment," the judge said.
While it reached a level which could result in an electronically monitored sentence being imposed, Judge Robinson said that would not be sufficient to mark the offending.
As he imposed two years’ imprisonment, Duell doubled over in the dock and held his head in his hands.
