A man who tried to murder a golfer in a crazed broad daylight chainsaw attack has been jailed for more than eight years by a judge who described the incident as “like something out of a horror film.”
Joe Henry Brown, 45, previously admitted trying to kill 61-year-old Arthur Innes while he prepared to play golf at Dundee’s Caird Park on May 2 this year.
He assaulted Mr Innes, who was collecting golf clubs from his car, by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with the running chainsaw.
He also assaulted Mr Innes’s friend, Andrew Hay, by repeatedly punching him on the body, seizing him by the head and pushing him to the ground.
At Glasgow High Court yesterday, a defence agent acting on behalf of Brown, a father-of-three, said he took “full responsibility” for his actions but asked for leniency due to his mental state and cocaine addiction.
Lord Matthews handed Brown eight years and three months in prison, with a further three year’s supervision on his release.
The judge said: “This was a dreadful offence. It’s like something out of a horror film. It must have been unimaginable for the complainers.
“I take on board the background, but it’s clear you have issues with consumption of drugs.
“I am not going to take the chance that you may do this again.”
The court previously heard that Brown was “topless, shoeless and shouting and swearing” as he approached Mr Innes and two others on the golf course while holding a chainsaw.
He walked up to Mr Innes’s friend Ian Martin while smiling and said: “Madness is in the eyes, madness is in the eyes.”
His eyes were said to be “bulging out of his head” and he appeared to be heavily under the influence of drugs. He then ran towards Mr Innes, who tried to block the chainsaw while wedged between two cars.
The chainsaw inflicted a head wound before striking Mr Innes on the upper arm, causing a two-inch cut.
Brown dropped the chainsaw nearby and fled, running into a nearby residential area where he appeared on the doorstep of a Kingsway resident.
A witness told the High Court Brown had pleaded with her to “hit him over the head with a large stone and kill him”.
In mitigation, his defence agent said: “Things in Mr Brown’s life had started to go wrong.
“The strain and pressure became too much for him and he turned to drugs, in particular cocaine.
“The drugs had affected him so badly that he became paranoid.
He acknowledged that it was “luck more than anything” that the complainer was not more seriously injured.
He said: “He had approached other persons seeking help and asked if the victims were OK.
“He quickly came to his senses and realised the enormity of it. He has shown considerable empathy.”
Lord Matthews also sentenced Brown to three sentences of eight months each for the assault on Mr Hay, threatening behaviour and growing cannabis in his property.
He was given a further 12 months for supplying cannabis. All sentences will run concurrently. He was admonished on two additional drugs charges.
