Police officer tells court he 'feared he'd be killed' by Dumbarton man

A police officer feared he could have been killed by a man armed with a machete who allegedly tried to murder him.

Sergeant Brian Simpson told a jury how the assailant swung the weapon narrowly missing the 44 year-old.

Sgt Simpson recalled feeling "scared" and that he had never been threatened like that in his 19 year police career.

He added: “There was absolutely no need to be walking about the streets with it.

“If that had struck me, it would have caused significant injuries.”

He was giving evidence at the trial of Craig Brown at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 31 year-old denies attempting to murder Sgt Simpson during the incident in Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire last September.

The officer had been called to someone acting suspiciously in the street.

Sgt Simpson was alone when he spotted a man and initially asked was he okay.

The individual said: “Are you an armed response unit?”

Sgt Simpson the recalled: “It was an unusual question. I said no. He then stated: 'Well, you better get one'.

“I knew exactly what he meant as he then withdrew a long machete from his right trouser leg.

“He immediately held it out...in an aggressive, threatening manner.”

Sgt Simpson initially brought out his incapacitant spray to try and ward off the man.

The officer said the individual instead was “waving” the weapon about.

He told the sergeant: “You better hope armed police are on their way.”

The officer recalled: “He ran at me with the sword...I ran behind a vehicle to create a barrier.

“I saw him wave the sword just missing my back. By that time, it was only a couple of feet away.”

Sgt Simpson used his spray with no success. He soon called for back up.

He told the jury: “I was scared. I was there by myself in front of someone telling me to get firearms officers.”

The man was allegedly then “chopping down” on the car Sgt Simpson retreated behind and smashed a window.

But, he suddenly fled when other officers arrived.

Sgt Simpson told the court: “I have never been threatened with a weapon like this in my service.

“He was trying to stab me with it, attack me. I felt shocked that someone could be walking the streets like that.

“There were a lot of 'what ifs' afterwards like what if I had not reacted as quickly as I did do.

“He could have killed me.”

The officer said he was offered time off work after the incident, but declined.

The trial, before Lord Clark, continues.