Man who chased police officer with chainsaw found guilty of attempted murder

A man has been found guilty of chasing a police officer with a chainsaw and attempting to murder him.

Liridon Kastrati was accused of brandishing a chainsaw at officers in Paisley, Renfrewshire, in broad daylight on 6 May 2024.

The 32-year-old had denied a single charge of attempting to murder four police officers.

He was convicted on Tuesday of an amended charge of attempted murder in relation to one person, Pc Gary Cowan, following a trial at the High Court in Paisley.

Kastrati was acquitted on Monday of charges of breach of the peace, stealing a car and motoring offences after the prosecution withdrew those four charges.

Kastrati will be sentenced on 19 December 19 at the same court.

Judge Gallacher told him to expect a “significant penalty”.

The court previously heard that Kastrati was questioned on 6 May without either a solicitor or an Albanian interpreter present.

He made reference repeatedly to the collision being a “car accident” when the attempted murder charges were read to him.

On Tuesday, prosecutor John Keenan urged the jury to convict Kastrati, who has been remanded in custody for 18 months.

During closing submissions, Mr Keenan said: “The Crown submit the accused deliberately drove at speed into a police car driven by Pc Gary Cowan and Pc Kelly Ferris while it was stationary. After colliding with it he then pursued PC Cowan and other officers, threatening them with a chainsaw with the intention of causing them serious harm.

“I submit you can draw that inference of murderous intent by driving and colliding with the police vehicle but also of the pursuit while wielding an activated chainsaw.”

However, John Scullion KC, defending Kastrati, told the court that Police Scotland carried out a “flawed investigation” into the incident.

He also said the attempted murder charge was not supported by evidence.

The lawyer told the jury: “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.”

Mr Scullion said the police investigation had neglected to examine a mobile phone found in the driver’s seat of the VW, and said that it was “charitable” to describe the investigation as “flawed”, claiming it lacked objectivity, the court heard.