A 34-year-old Inverness man is facing a lengthy jail sentence after being found guilty by a jury’s majority of possessing a knife and a sustained assault on a police constable.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that William Cochrane, of Kenneth Place, Smithton, had a record for violence and a High Court conviction for an offence involving a knife.
But Sheriff Chris Dickson called for a background report and sentence was deferred until February 13. Cochrane was again remanded in custody.
The four-day trial heard from five police witnesses, but not the one that Cochrane rained blows upon despite being sprayed with an incapacitant gas.
PC Andrew Card still has not returned to work after the May 4, 2019, assault.
Cochrane denied the possession of a blade, obstructing police by running away, struggling and fighting with police and assault.
The court was told that Cochrane was about to be searched after a knife was seen in his pocket. He ran away but was traced to the bedroom of his house.
After leaping over a bed to attack PC Card, Cochrane wasn’t affected by three sprays nor did he desist despite being struck five times with a police baton.
It was only when PC Donald’s Pearson’s German Shepherd, Harry, was deployed and bit Cochrane below the knee that he was brought under control and handcuffed twice.