A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to murder a police officer by chasing him with a chainsaw. Liridon Kastrati crashed a stolen Volkswagen into a marked police car before pursuing PC Gary Cowan while yelling derogatory remarks about law enforcement in Paisley, Scotland, on May 6, 2024. The 32-year-old Albanian was warned earlier that he would face severe consequences for his violent actions.

Following the sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow, Kastrati erupted in a profanity-laden outburst, banging on the dock, verbally assaulting the judge, and hurling derogatory remarks at him.

During the trial, Judge Gallacher expressed astonishment at the use of a chainsaw as a weapon, likening it to scenes from horror movies. The 10-year sentence was retroactively dated to May 2024.

After the sentence was pronounced, Kastrati continued his disruptive behavior, shouting at the judge and making offensive remarks before being escorted away by security guards.

PC Cowan recounted the terrifying ordeal in court, describing how Kastrati relentlessly pursued him with the chainsaw raised, causing him to fear for his life. The officer expressed his belief that Kastrati intended to inflict fatal harm, as he shouted derogatory phrases aimed at the police during the chase.

Kastrati’s defense counsel, John Scullion KC, mentioned a missed appointment with a social worker due to a misunderstanding, leading to a lack of necessary reports. Despite accepting responsibility for his actions, Kastrati’s legal team acknowledged the unsatisfactory nature of the situation.

Judge Gallacher expressed frustration over the missing report and emphasized the need for timely resolution of the case to benefit all parties involved. Kastrati was given a final opportunity to cooperate before sentencing proceedings continued.

Prosecution dropped charges related to breach of the peace, car theft, and other motoring offenses.