THIS is the moment a yob attacked cops with a Molotov cocktail, knife and a hatchet in a police station rampage over his “grudge” with authority.
Alexander Dighton, who had been referred to the anti-terrorism programme Prevent in January 2024, attacked three police officers at Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.
Dighton has now been jailed for life[/caption]
The 28-year-old knifed one of the cops in the leg and knocked another unconscious after storming the station.
Footage released today shows Dighton first trying to hurl a firebomb at a police van but when it did not ignite, he started a blaze by pouring lighter fluid on the vehicle.
The thug was then captured smashing the windows on two cars using a pole before terrified officers: “I’m fed up, I’m done”.
He managed to shake off the 50,000-volt Taser fired at him before continuing to smash the windows of the police station.
Dighton has now been locked up for life with a minimum of 22 years after pleading guilty to ten charges related to the January 31 attack.
The Old Bailey was told he had developed a “grudge” against authority and believed he was “damned from birth”.
Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn said his sister had reported him to Prevent due to concerns he held “racist and anti-Muslim views” and was likely to be involved with incel groups.
During the attack on the police station, officers attempted to Taser him but it had no effect.
He swung a pole at one officer and punched one in the head during the savage attack.
Dighton then knifed Det Con Jack Cotton in the leg – narrowly missing his femoral artery – as three cops attempted to restrain him.
When officers searched him, they found Dighton was wearing body armour and was carrying a hatchet in his bag.
He later told police he did not consider the scope of damage, “merely that blood had to be spilt”.
The thug also admitted he was motivated by an anti-government ideology but denied intending to kill a police officer.
Dighton said: “Authority is not my problem. It’s the use of authority which to me is the problem, the use of authority I have seen since I was 15, that’s my problem.”
He admitted the attempted murder of Detective Constable Jack Cotton, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman, assaulting Pc Joshua Emlyn and threatening Pc Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole.
Dighton also pleaded guilty to the attempted arson of a police van, two counts of damaging police property and having an adapted wooden pole, a knife and a hatchet.
Speaking after the case, Frank Ferguson of the Crown Prosecution Service said Dighton wanted to attack the Government and the state.
“We were able to show that Dighton’s attack was not only pre-meditated and meticulously planned, but that his motivations were connected to terrorism.
“While it is not a criminal offence to hold extreme or offensive views, it is one to carry out attempted murder and attack police officers because of them.”
Dighton first attempted to firebomb a police car[/caption]
He went to the station with a cache of weapons[/caption]
He was wearing bullet proof armour[/caption]
