Brian Patterson, 22, launched an unprovoked attack on a stranger at the busy train station after racially abusing him, with disturbing footage released by police showing the axe-wielder
A racist thug who attacked a complete stranger with an axe at a packed railway station has been locked up.
Disturbing CCTV footage shows the moment deranged Brian Patterson unleashed the horrifying unprovoked assault. He can be seen stepping off a train and trailing his victim and a companion, after clocking the duo on a bridge at Edinburgh Waverley station.
Patterson then tried to catch the attention of the pair as they stepped onto an escalator within the station. He was subsequently spotted charging at them from behind before wielding the lethal weapon and striking the man. British Transport Police released the footage showing him swinging the axe with brutal force, before officers arrested the 22-year-old for the savage attack.
A court heard how Patterson began hurling racial abuse at the man, and making inappropriate sexual remarks towards the victim’s mate. Patterson, from Back Braes in Brechin, Scotland, stank of booze just before midnight on September 5 last year, jurors were told, reports the Mirror.
He became hostile and started threatening the victim, who turned round and stepped onto the escalator to escape. Patterson kept menacing him, before yanking an axe from his clothing and striking the victim on the side of the head.
The victim was oblivious he’d been hit by an axe, sustaining a lump to the side of his head and gashes along his neck, and he watched as Patterson fled whilst shoving something into his waistband. Police initiated an investigation and Patterson was located less than a month later.
Whilst being cautioned and detained, Patterson inquired of the arresting officers about the condition of the man he had ‘supposedly’ assaulted. Patterson received a four-year prison sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh. He admitted to racially aggravated assault and endangering life at the same court last month.
Detectives labelled the attack as “vile and premeditated”. Detective Constable Donna Davanna commented: “I’m extremely pleased to see Patterson jailed for his vile and premeditated attack. Patterson’s audacious and horrific actions could have resulted in a man losing his life, and it is thanks only to luck that the consequences of the attack were not more severe.
“When under caution and asking about the state of his victim, it quickly became clear that he really only cared about himself and showed utter indignation.
“I hope that regardless of how crass and heartless Patterson has shown to be, this can bring the victim some comfort and closure.
“We take every report of violence on the railway network extremely seriously, and will not tolerate offences such as those carried out by Patterson.”
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