A man who tried to kill a police officer after chasing him with a chainsaw has had his sentencing delayed until the New Year.
Liridon Kastrati was convicted last month of the attempted murder of PC Gary Cowan following a violent incident in Paisley in May 2024.
The 32-year-old Albanian national was due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow, but proceedings were adjourned after it emerged that a pre-sentencing social work report had not been completed while he was in custody.
Defence lawyer John Scullion KC told the court there had been a “misunderstanding” on Kastrati’s part over why the report had not been prepared.
Judge William Gallacher said he was “perplexed and frustrated” that sentencing could not go ahead, warning Kastrati that he was concerned about a lack of co-operation.
He told him: “I am going to give you one further opportunity to assist in the report and what benefit it may have for the court as well as for yourself.
“When the case next calls and you have not co-operated, then the court will proceed to sentence without the additional information.”
Kastrati will return to the dock in late January.
The trial heard how PC Cowan, 35, was in a police vehicle with a colleague when a Volkswagen driven by Kastrati crashed into the side of their car, deploying the airbag.
Kastrati got out of the driver’s side, briefly stopped, then ran away. PC Cowan approached him with the intention of making an arrest.
However, jurors were told Kastrati returned to his vehicle, pulled out a chainsaw and began chasing the officer while shouting obscenities.
PC Cowan told the court he was terrified, recalling hearing the chainsaw revving as Kastrati moved towards him.
“I thought if I do not create distance, he is going to kill me,” he said.
He added that he believed Kastrati would “saw my arms off, chop my head off”.
Jurors heard Kastrati was swinging the chainsaw and shouting: “Get the cameras. I want the media, get the media here.”
The pursuit ended when Kastrati stopped and placed the chainsaw on the ground, allowing PC Cowan to deploy pepper spray.
PC Cowan suffered whiplash and a knee injury, keeping him off work for four months. His colleague was also injured.
The court heard Kastrati was arrested and questioned without a lawyer or an Albanian interpreter present, repeatedly referring to the incident as a “car accident” when charges were read to him.
Although he denied the allegations at trial, his lawyer accepted he had brandished the chainsaw during what was described as a “frightening and distressing incident”.
Prosecutor John Keenan KC said Kastrati had deliberately driven at speed into the police car before threatening officers with the chainsaw with the intention of causing serious harm.
Kastrati was convicted of the attempted murder of PC Cowan. He had originally faced charges alleging he attempted to kill four police officers.