An axe attacker who claimed he should have “chopped up” his university student ex has been locked up for more than four years.
Joshua Sutherland left the woman badly hurt after turning up at her home in St Andrews, in October 2021 and assaulting her.
The 20 year-old fled before being spotted in just his underwear at a golf course in the town.
He was later captured, naked, on police helicopter footage at a nearby coastal path while armed with a knife.
After refusing to drop the weapon, Sutherland went on to stab a police dog and also lashed out at the animal’s handler.
It was only after he was cornered by other officers he was finally held.
Sutherland, originally charged with attempted murder, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after reports had been considered.
Indefinite non-harassment order
Sutherland had previously admitted at a hearing in Edinburgh to assaulting the woman to her severe injury and danger of her life.
He further pled guilty to assaulting police, as well as behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.
Lord Armstrong sentenced him to a total of four years and four months.
The term was cut from five and a half years due to the guilty pleas.
The judge told Sutherland: “This was a violent attack perpetrated by you against your ex-partner in her home where she was entitled to feel secure.”
Sutherland, of Inverness, was further hit with a non-harassment order, banning him from contacting his victim for an indefinite period.
Attacked former partner with axe
The Courier previously told how the couple had been together for year until they split up in late October 2021.
Sutherland sent her a text stating he was sleeping rough in Dundee before later adding he was in St Andrews and “freezing cold”.
She invited him to have a sleep at the house she was sharing in the town with other students in Winram Place.
Sutherland was described as “agitated and paranoid” when he appeared, claiming to have been taking amphetamine for days.
She left him in a bedroom before returning to her studies.
Prosecutor Adrian Stalker said he approached her while clutching a tomahawk-sized axe behind his back.
“Without warning, he struck her once on the top of the head with the blunt side of the axe.
“He did not say anything before or after this attack.”
The victim – bleeding from a head wound – raced out a back door yelling at Sutherland to leave her alone.
‘I should have chopped her up’
After also fleeing, Sutherland was spotted on the Torrance golf course near the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews in his underwear.
Broughty Ferry lifeboat had been called to help search for “very, very violent” Sutherland on the coastline.
Sutherland, naked, was then spotted on a coastal path climbing a steep embankment while refusing police demands to drop a knife.
He stabbed a police dog and struck its handler before being surrounded.
He stated to officers: “She broke my f*****g heart. You boys did not deserve that.
“I hope the dog is ok. I really did not want to do any of what I have done.
“I do regret all of it. Today was out of character.
Sutherland added: “I hit her in the head.
“She should be f*****g dead. I should have chopped her up.”
The court heard the victim suffered no fracture or other skull injury.
The wounded dog also made a full recovery.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
