A top cop has welcomed the sentence of a 26-year-old Wishaw man who seriously assaulted two of his officers.
David Dowson has been jailed for more than seven years after he turned on PCs Josh McCorry and Glenn Coletta in Wishaw on June 14 last year, chopping off part of one of their thumbs and permanently disfiguring the other.
The incident happened around 10pm when the response officers, who were helping a boy at the time, were approached by Dowson in the Greenfield Drive area of the town.
Callous Dowson was later heard boasting in the street: “Aye, I chopped your cops with a cleaver.”
Speaking after his sentence, Superintendent Raymond Higgins said that Dowson was “clearly a very dangerous individual”.
Superintendent Higgins told Lanarkshire Live: “Our police officers are there to assist and protect our communities, and the victims involved in this incident were doing exactly that, when they were subjected to a shocking and brutal attack.
“The fact that both officers have recovered and returned to duty after such a traumatic experience is testament to their commitment to the job and keeping our communities safe.
"The bravery and professionalism they have shown throughout this process is admirable and I would like to thank them for their efforts.
“David Dowson is clearly a very dangerous individual and we welcome today’s sentencing which sends a clear message that violence towards our officers, or anyone within our communities, will not be tolerated in any form.
“Over a number of years there has been an increasing number of reports of assaults on officers and staff. This can cause physical and psychological harm to those who are dedicated public servants and coming under attack should not be part of the job.
“The Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has made it clear that violence against officers and staff is utterly unacceptable and should never be seen as simply part of the job.
"He has outlined his commitment to reducing the impact violence has on our officers and staff and to introducing measures to improve their safety.”
