Man guilty of chasing Police Scotland officer with chainsaw in murder attempt

An Albanian man has been found guilty of chasing a police officer with a chainsaw in an attempt to murder him.

Liridon Kastrati, 32, had been accused of attempting to kill four officers, but on Tuesday was convicted of an amended charge of attempted murder in relation to one victim, PC Gary Cowan.

Kastrati additionally faced charges of breach of the peace, stealing a car and motoring offences, however those were withdrawn by the prosecution during a trial at the High Court in Paisley.

Judge Gallacher told Kastrati to expect a “significant penalty” when he is sentenced on 19 December.

PC Cowan, 35, told the court last week that he was “terrified” when he found himself being chased by the defendant in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on 6 May 2024.

Although the amended charge removed reference to a car crash, prosecutors earlier claimed Kastrati rammed a car into a marked police vehicle in the town.

Following the collision, which caused the police car’s airbags to inflate, PC Cowan said Kastrati “began to run away”.

The officer said he approached the accused with the intention of arresting him, but when he was about 10m away, Kastrati returned to his vehicle and retrieved a chainsaw.

Kastrati was then said to have pursued PC Cowan while shouting “f*** the police”.

PC Cowan said: “He was chasing after me with the chainsaw, holding the chainsaw up, running after me.”

He added: “I thought if I don’t create distance, he is going to kill me.”

The officer said he believed Kastrati would “saw my arms off, chop my head off,” and that he was “terrified”.

During proceedings, the court heard how Kastrati was questioned on the day of the incident without either a solicitor or an Albanian interpreter present, and made reference repeatedly to the collision being a “car accident” when charges were read to him.

Kastrati has been remanded in custody for 18 months since the incident.

Defence lawyer John Scullion KC told the jury on Tuesday: “Mr Kastrati accepts he removes a chainsaw from the car, he swore, he injured PC Cowan, he brandished the chainsaw at other officers during this frightening and distressing incident. You must convict him of those parts.”

However, Mr Scullion claimed the police investigation was “flawed” and “lacked neutrality and objectivity”.

Following Kastrati’s conviction, Judge Gallacher told him: “You have been convicted of a charge which is subject to a number of deletions but remains a very serious charge.

“The law requires I obtain more information upon you, but you may take it the court will in due course impose a significant penalty in relation to this very dangerous incident.

“I cannot do that until I get more information and will in due course get more information from Mr Scullion.”

Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Rhona Fraser said: “I want to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to those involved for their bravery and professionalism when faced with such danger and hatred from Kastrati who clearly intended to harm.

“Every officer has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed. No-one should face this deplorable level of criminality and it will not be tolerated.”