Liridon Kastrati shouted at the judge as he was sentenced for attempting to murder a police officer with a chainsaw in horror footage that saw him threaten to cut off his limbs
Footage shows man chasing police officer with a chainsaw in Paisley
A man who tried to murder a police officer with a chainsaw in a scene a judge described as being like a “horror film” has been jailed for 10 years as the terrifying footage has been released.
Liridon Kastrati launched a foul-mouthed outburst immediately after being sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow as he banged on the dock and shouted your a “f****** terrorist” at judge.
The 32-year-old, from Albania, was earlier convicted of the attempted murder of Pc Gary Cowan following an incident in Paisley, Renfrewshire, on May 6 2024. It took place just after a car crashed into a police vehicle.
During sentencing on Tuesday, Judge Gallacher told Kastrati: “I have never encountered the use of a chainsaw as a weapon being wielded. Many might have thought this was the stuff of horror films.”
The 10-year sentence was backdated to May 2024.
Immediately after the sentence was imposed, Kastrati began banging on the dock and shouted at the judge.
He shouted in Albanian before saying “you’re a f****** terrorist” and “your country is a f****** terrorist” in English, then was led away by guards.
The judge said that Kastrati had been driving a car which had crashed into a police vehicle in Paisley.
He had initially tried to flee the scene of the accident before returning and removing the chainsaw from the boot of his car.
Judge Gallacher said: “You started it up and roared the engine of the chainsaw. As you did so, you shouted an abusive remark about the police.”
The judge described how Kastrati then proceeded to chase Pc Cowan down the street for a “significant” distance while revving the chainsaw.
The constable ran away and feared Kastrati would “chop off his limbs” if he caught up with him, the judge said.
He said much of the incident was caught on CCTV or mobile phone footage and Kastrati had been intent on causing “catastrophic” harm before Pc Cowan’s colleagues arrived on the scene and helped to apprehend him.
Judge Gallacher said: “Your behaviour caused significant harm but the potential could have been far worse.
“If Pc Cowan had not been able to run fast enough or if he had stumbled and fell, the scene could have been one of carnage.”
During the earlier trial at the High Court in Paisley, Pc Cowan told the court he feared for his life when Kastrati ran after him with a chainsaw.
The officer said: “He was chasing after me with the chainsaw, holding the chainsaw up, running after me.
“I thought ‘if I don’t create distance, he is going to kill me’.”
The constable said Kastrati was shouting “f*** the police” as he chased him.
Charges of breach of the peace, stealing a car and motoring offences were dropped.
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