Chainsaw attacker at golf course sentenced

A man who attempted to murder a golfer in a chainsaw attack has been jailed for over eight years by a judge who described the incident as “like something out of a horror film.”

Joe Henry Brown, 45, had previously admitted trying to murder 61-year-old Arthur Innes while he prepared to play golf at Dundee’s Caird Park on May 2^nd of this year.

He attacked Mr Innes, who was getting his golf clubs from his car, by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a working chainsaw.

He also assaulted Andrew Hay, a friend of Mr Innes’s Hay.

A lawyer representing 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 sentenced Brown to eight years and three months in prison, with a further three year’s of supervision on his release.

The judge commented: “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 heard earlier that Brown was “topless, shoeless and shouting and swearing” as he approached Mr Innes 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.

The chainsaw inflicted a head wound before striking Mr Innes on the upper arm, which caused a two-inch cut.

Brown then dropped the chainsaw nearby and fled into a nearby residential area, where he pleaded with a local resident to “hit him over the head with a large stone and kill him”.

Brown’s defences lawyer 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..”

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.

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