It was a scene more fitting for a thriller than a quiet afternoon in Paisley, Renfrewshire: a man wielding a running chainsaw, chasing a police officer through the streets, and shouting obscenities. Yet, on May 6, 2024, this chilling spectacle became reality, leaving the community shaken and police officers counting themselves lucky to be alive. Now, more than a year later, justice has caught up with the attacker, Liridon Kastrati, 32, who was convicted this week at the High Court in Paisley of attempting to murder Police Constable Gary Cowan.
According to BBC and Glasgow Live, the incident unfolded shortly after 1:30 pm when Kastrati rammed his Volkswagen into a marked police vehicle on Glasgow Road in the Ralston area. The crash was violent enough to deploy the airbags and injure two officers inside, who would later be treated by paramedics. The chaos, however, was just beginning.
PC Gary Cowan, 35, recounted the harrowing moments that followed. He testified in court that after the crash, Kastrati stepped out of his car, looked directly at the police vehicle, and then began to run away. Sensing an opportunity to arrest the suspect, Cowan gave chase. But as he drew within about 10 meters, Kastrati doubled back to his vehicle and emerged brandishing a chainsaw. The officer recalled, "He was chasing after me with the chainsaw, holding the chainsaw up, running after me." As reported by BBC, Cowan admitted, "I thought if I don't create distance, he is going to kill me." He described the ordeal as "terrifying," believing Kastrati would "saw my arms off, chop my head off."
The court heard that Kastrati, an Albanian national, was shouting obscenities—including, according to The Scotsman, "f*** the police"—as he pursued the officer. The officers, realizing the grave danger, called for immediate assistance. Their quick action, combined with the intervention of a courageous member of the public, led to Kastrati's arrest before the situation could escalate further.
In the aftermath, Kastrati was held in custody, where he has remained for the 18 months leading up to his trial. During his initial questioning by police, he was not provided with a solicitor or an Albanian interpreter, and he repeatedly referred to the incident as a "car accident" when the charges were put to him. This procedural detail would later become a focal point for the defense.
At trial, Kastrati denied the charge of attempting to murder four police officers. However, on November 25, 2025, after three hours of jury deliberation, he was convicted of an amended charge: the attempted murder of PC Gary Cowan. The amended charge notably removed references to the car crash and the other officers, focusing solely on the chainsaw attack on Cowan. Kastrati was acquitted of other charges, including breach of the peace, stealing a car, and various motoring offenses, after the prosecution withdrew them.
John Scullion KC, defending, acknowledged the gravity of the incident. He 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." Nevertheless, Scullion argued that the police investigation was "flawed" and "lacked neutrality and objectivity," referencing the absence of legal and linguistic support during Kastrati's questioning. Despite these arguments, the jury found Kastrati guilty of the serious amended charge.
Judge Gallacher, presiding over the case, made it clear that the court viewed the offense with utmost severity. Addressing Kastrati after the verdict, the judge stated, "You have been convicted of a charge which is subject to a number of deletions but remains a very serious charge. The law requires I obtain more information upon you but you may take it the court will in due course impose a significant penalty in relation to this very dangerous incident." Sentencing has been scheduled for December 19, 2025, and Kastrati has been told to expect a "significant penalty."
Reactions from law enforcement have been unequivocal, blending relief, gratitude, and a stern warning about the dangers officers face. Detective Inspector Jan MacColl, quoted by Glasgow Live, said, "Our thoughts remain with those involved or affected by this shocking and calculated attack. The courage and determination shown by officers, simply doing their jobs, and the member of the public to quickly stop Kastrati ensured that the dangerous threat he posed to the local community was contained at the scene. Their readiness to confront danger made us determined to ensure he is held to account for his cowardly actions, and I hope his conviction brings some comfort."
Chief Superintendent Rhona Fraser, Local Policing Commander, also offered her perspective, emphasizing the unpredictability of police work. "Every officer has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed. No-one should face this deplorable level of criminality and it will not be tolerated. This type of incident shows the unpredictable and dangerous situations police officers can face, while doing their utmost to keep people safe," she stated, according to Glasgow Live. Fraser extended her "deepest thanks and gratitude to those involved for their bravery and professionalism when faced with such danger and hatred from Kastrati who clearly intended to harm." She added, "Kastrati has shown no remorse for his brutal actions and rightly now faces the consequences."
The case has stirred wider discussion about officer safety and the risks inherent in frontline policing. The fact that Kastrati was able to escalate a traffic collision into a life-threatening attack with a chainsaw underscores the unpredictable hazards officers confront daily. As Chief Superintendent Fraser pointed out, these dangers are not abstract—they are faced by real people, in real communities, every day.
For Paisley, the conviction brings a measure of closure to a disturbing chapter. For PC Cowan and his colleagues, it is a reminder of the thin line between routine duty and sudden peril. As the community awaits Kastrati’s sentencing, the bravery of the officers and the member of the public who intervened stands as a testament to the resilience and resolve of those who serve.
