Police officer tells trial of ‘terror’ at being chased by a man with chainsaw

A police officer has told a court he was “terrified” when he found himself being chased by a man wielding a chainsaw in Paisley last year.

Liridon Kastrati, 32, is accused of ramming a car into a marked police vehicle and then brandishing a chainsaw at officers in the Renfrewshire town on May 6 2024.

It is alleged he stole a black Volkswagen car on the town’s George Street and drove it “at excessive speed”, before mounting the pavement and colliding with a police car containing two officers.

It is alleged Kastrati then pulled a chainsaw out of a bag and ran at officers while shouting and swearing.

Kastrati has denied attempted murder, as well as a breach of the peace and motoring offences.

On the opening day of the trial on Wednesday, Paisley Sheriff Court heard evidence from Police Constable Gary Cowan, who had been behind the wheel of the police car when it was allegedly rammed by Kastrati.

He said he had been at the junction of Buchlyvie Road and Glasgow Road when something struck the vehicle from the right-hand side with an “almighty bang”.

He told the court some of the vehicle’s airbags inflated, and that it was pushed round to the left so it ended up facing a house on the corner of the junction.

He said when he “came to” he could see a black car up on the pavement in front of him that looked damaged from the collision.

Pc Cowan said a man then got out of the driver’s side door of the black car, looked at the police car and then “began to run away”.

The officer said he began approaching the man with the intention of arresting him, but that when he was “about 10 metres” away the man returned to his vehicle and got out a chainsaw.

He said after removing the guard covering the blade of the chainsaw, the man started it by lowering it down to one side and pulling on its cord.

Asked what he could hear at that point, the officer explained: “As soon as I head that (chainsaw) engine start I heard he appeared to shout “f*** the police.

“At that point, I started to create distance between myself and him, and started to run towards Glasgow Road.”

The officer explained the man began “sprinting” after him, and that he was continuing to shout, “f*** the police”.

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

“I could hear the chainsaw revving.”

The 35-year-old told the court: “I thought if I don’t create distance he is going to kill me.”

Asked what he thought the man could do with the chainsaw, he said: “Saw my arms off, chop my head off,” adding that he was “terrified”.

Pc Cowan told the court the chase lasted about 100 metres, and that he was constantly checking over his shoulder to see how close his pursuer was.

He said, as he was running, he was trying to radio for support, saying to the control room: “I need firearms support just now. I’m being chased by a man with a chainsaw.”

Eventually he said the man stopped running and put the chainsaw on the ground, at which point the officer said he was able to use pepper spray on him.

Pc Cowan said: “I was asking him to get on the ground and he wasn’t listening.

“I removed my baton and struck him with the baton on his legs.”

He said, at this point, other officers joined him and they were able to make the arrest.

The court also heard evidence from Kevin McDonald, who had been doing gardening work at the Happy Smiles dental practice on Glasgow Road when he heard shouting and what sounded like a “small motorbike”.

He said the person shouting had a “foreign accent”, and that they seemed to be saying, “‘I don’t want to be here’, or words to that effect”.

He told the court he moved to the front of the building, where he could see a male police officer running along the road, with a man running after him with a chainsaw.

Mr McDonald said he saw the man put the chainsaw on the ground, before being arrested by “five or six” police officers who approached from the other side of the road.

Asked to identify the man who had been holding the chainsaw, he pointed to Kastrati in the dock.

The court was also shown photos of the chainsaw, which had a pale blue and dark blue handle and a long blade.

Kastrati was present in court dressed in a green fleece jacket, and followed proceedings with the assistance of an Italian interpreter.

The trial continues.