A man motivated by anti-government ideology has been jailed for life for attempting to murder an officer during an attack on a police station in South Wales.
Alexander Dighton, 28, who injured three officers during the attack outside Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf on 31 January, was sentenced to at least 22 years.
The defendant, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, was armed with a Molotov cocktail, a knife, a hatchet and a wooden pole.
He caused damage to police vehicles, before attacking the officers as they attempted to restrain him – stabbing one in the leg, punching another in the head and swinging his pole at another.
Two of the officers were taken to hospital to receive treatment.
Dighton, from Pontyclun, had previously pleaded guilty to a total of 10 offences at the Old Bailey in London, including the attempted murder of a police officer, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, assault, attempted arson, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage.
‘Serious violence’
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Prosecuting, Nicholas Hearn told the court that Dighton was “intent on serious violence” and had targeted Talbot Green police station in an attempt to “force a confrontation with police officers”.
Police Constable Steph Fleming saw Dighton as she exited the station and “drew her taser”, while Dighton “continued to smash the windows” of a police vehicle.
In footage played in court, the defendant could be heard telling the officer: “I am fed up” and “I am done”.
He also made reference to the number 75 and later clarified at police interview that the comments were relating to “grooming gangs”.
When he was arrested and cautioned he told the arresting officer: “Your government is vulnerable”.
He told officers at interview that the motivation for the attack was to “let it be known that ‘his tolerance of the government had come to an end'”.
The court heard that the defendant had previously been reported to the government’s Prevent scheme due to his “racist and anti-Muslim views”.
‘Fight or flight’
PC Fleming attempted to taser the defendant, but it had “no effect” on him as he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.
She said in evidence that she had “never felt this level of fear before and never want to feel it again”.
Detective Constable Jack Cotton, who was stabbed in his leg during the incident, said in a victim impact statement that night was “the most [he’d] ever feared” for his or a colleague’s safety.
“If Alexander Dighton had not been detained when he was, the outcome would have been completely different, and potentially fatal,” he added.
Detective Constable Joshua Emlyn, who restrained the defendant in a “head lock”, was punched in the head by the defendant, in what he described as “a fight or flight situation”.
Police Sergeant Richard Coleman, who was struck by the defendant’s pole, said he can remember being hit “with incredible force”.
He also spoke of the toll the incident had taken on his family, saying it “had far more of an impact upon [his] wife than [he] could ever have imagined”.
‘Terrorist connection’
Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan from South Wales Police said in his victim impact statement that the force had undertaken a “review of the CCTV system” at the station, in an attempt to “reassure” police officers and staff.
“I am immensely proud of the action of those officers who apprehended the defendant on the night,” he added.
“Their actions in really difficult and dangerous circumstances prevented tragedy.”
When asked by the judge whether there was anything he wanted to say in his own defence, Dighton, who was unrepresented, said: “I don’t care about myself”.
“What I think is important is that we have a genuine conversation about where Britain is,” he added.
Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Lucraft KC said that “serious violence was clearly your motivation”.
“I am entirely satisfied that all of the offences here have a terrorist connection,” he added.
The sentences for the other offences will run concurrently to the life sentence for attempted murder, the Judge said.
‘Far-reaching impact’
Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones from South Wales Police told Sky News the officers involved were “recovering well”.
“The physical wounds are healing, but obviously the mental scars of such an unprecedented, determined, violent attack will take a considerable amount of time to heal,” he said.
“This incident has had a far-reaching impact on other colleagues as well, who have had their own sense of security undermined as a result of this attack.”
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams, head of investigations at Counter Terrorism Policing Wales, said Dighton was intent on causing “the maximum amount of damage and injury to others as he possibly could”.
DCI Williams said police “will not stand for people who act to undermine our democracy and our society”.
“People will be sought out, they will be prosecuted, and as has happened in this case, they will be sent to prison for lengthy periods,” he added.
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