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The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Armoured thug stabbed officer and knocked another unconscious in police station attack
A body armour wearing man armed with Molotov cocktails and a hatchet who stabbed a police officer and knocked another unconscious has been jailed for life. Alexander Dighton, 28, arrived at Talbot Green Police Station in Rhondda Cynon Taf shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van on January 31. Central Criminal Court heard how Dighton failed to ignite a petrol bomb and attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole. When approached by officers, Dighton said 'I'm fed up, I'm done', before launching his attack. Attempts to restrain Dighton using a Taser were unsuccessful because of the body armour he was wearing. Dighton swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery. Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment. In a police interview after the attack, Dighton, of Pontyclun, said he did not consider the scope of damage, 'merely that blood had to be spilt'. He previously admitted 10 charges relating to the incident, including attempting to murder Detective Constable Jack Cotton and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman. Dighton also admitted assaulting Pc Joshua Emlyn and threatening Pc Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole. Prosecuting, Nicholas Hearn described how Dighton's sister had reported him to Prevent due to concerns he held 'racist and anti-Muslim views' and was likely to be involved with incel groups. The incel movement is made up of people who find themselves unsuccessful in relationships, often harbouring extreme and misogynistic views. Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentenced Dighton, who had been referred to the anti-terrorism programme Prevent in January 2024, to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years. The judge told the defendant, who represented himself in court, that the offences had 'a terrorist connection'. He said: 'It is clear that you continue to hold entrenched views. 'Other than the early guilty pleas, there is little else to be said to your credit.' The judge said the police officers that encountered Dighton were experienced. He added: 'Whilst they accept potential violence and difficult confrontations are part of the role of being a police officer, they were all deeply shocked by the nature and ferocity of your attack.' Speaking ahead of sentencing, Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones praised the officers who attended the incident, saying they showed 'absolutely exceptional bravery and professionalism'. Bethan David, Head of the Counter Terrorism Division for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Alexander Dighton wanted to attack the government and the state. 'By his own admission, he wanted to take the life of a police officer, to cause damage and spill blood. We were able to show that Dighton's attack was not only pre-meditated and meticulously planned, but that his motivations were connected to terrorism. 'While it is not a criminal offence to hold extreme or offensive views, it is one to carry out attempted murder and attack police officers because of them. 'He pleaded guilty, and his sentencing today reflects the severity of his actions.'
BBC News
13-06-2025
- BBC News
Talbot Green police station attacker jailed for attempted murder
A man who tried to murder a police officer while armed with Molotov cocktails has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 Dighton, 28 from Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was wearing body armour when he carried out the attack outside Talbot Green police station in terror police said Dighton was interviewed by officers a year before the attack, but was believed not to be a injured several officers and admitted trying to murder a police officer with a knife and was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London. Due to the time Dighton spent on remand he will spend a minimum term of 21 years and 235 days before he can be considered for court heard he was also made subject of terrorist notification requirements for 30 Mark Lucraft KC said the crimes committed by Dighton "satisfies all the offences have terrorist connections.""You targeted the police as a keystone of government power," he added. Dighton arrived at Talbot Green police station in January armed with a hatchet, a pole and Molotov his weapons, he told PC Stephanie Fleming, who confronted him: "I'm fed up, I'm done."Dighton threw one Molotov cocktail at a police van, but it failed to ignite, so he poured petrol onto another and set it then used a long wooden pole to smash the van's was tasered and sprayed with Pava spray, but it had no effect. He attacked Sgt Richard Coleman in the station foyer, hitting him in the head with the pole, and then punched Det Con Joshua this point three police officers attempted to restrain Dighton, and he stabbed Det Con Jack Cotton in the leg, wounding represented himself in court at a previous hearing and admitted attempted murder with a knife, attempted arson, attacking two other police officers, and threatening a third - pleading guilty to a total of 10 officers were treated in hospital for their injuries. Ch Supt Stephen Jones, of South Wales Police, said the officers were doing "remarkably well", but said it has had a "profound impact" on their families."Ultimately officers are public servants, but they're also fathers, mothers, wives and husbands and sons and daughters, and the impact on their families has been really heartfelt," he said."We face these perils, and quite often unexpectedly", he said the officers had to respond to a "committed, lone individual who was exceptionally aggressive". At a previous court hearing Dighton told the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb: "Authority is not my problem - but the use of authority that I have seen since I was 15, that is my problem."Dighton was motivated by anti-government ideology, and when he was arrested he said: "I've been damned from birth."Police believe Dighton began planning his attack a month before the his home in Llantrisant was searched journals containing anti-immigrant ideologies and a return to "traditional" society were found. Dighton was already known to counter-terrorism police in Wales, he was interviewed by officers a year before the was referred to the Prevent, a counter extremism programme in January 2024, by his sister where officers carried out a three week "detailed assessment" of Nicholas Hearn said she had stated he was "vulnerable as he has gone missing previously and has attempted suicide."Det Supt Andrew Williams of Counter Terrorism Policing Wales said: "He was referred to us following concerns around his anti-immigration stance, his anti-Islam stance and his general racist views."He said Dighton was interviewed "at length" and "due-diligence checks" were carried out to make sure officers "knew about him and his history".He said Dighton "did not fit the criteria" to be included on the Prevent programme."There was no information at all from that assessment or from that referral that would give any indication whatsoever that Alexander Dighton would go on, a year later, to commit an attack of this nature," Det Supt Williams said he believed the initial assessment of Dighton was correct."I am very confident in the assessment and skills of those officers and support them completely in the decisions they undertook," he if he was satisfied Dighton was de-radicalised, or did not present a threat, Det Supt Williams said: "I am happy that's the case, yes." Dighton previously pleaded guilty to attempted arson and attempting to murder Det Con Jack Cotton. He also admitted assaulting Sgt Richard Coleman, threatening PC Stephanie Fleming, assaulting Det Con Joshua Emlyn, having an adapted wooden pole as a weapon, having a knife, having a hatchet, damaging a police van, and damaging a second police van.
