Man to be sentenced for attacking officers with hatchet outside police station
Alexander Dighton, 28, attacked three police officers at Talbot Green police station in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, on January 31, stabbing one in the leg and knocking another unconscious.
He previously pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the incident at a hearing before the Old Bailey in March.
Dighton, of Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, arrived at the police station shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van.
When that failed to ignite, he attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole.
When confronted by officers, Dighton said: 'I'm fed up, I'm done,' before launching his attack.
Attempts to restrain him using a Taser were unsuccessful because of the body armour he was wearing.
He swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery.
Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment.
On being arrested, Dighton said: 'I have been damned from birth.'
He went on to admit his actions, saying he was motivated by an anti-government ideology but denied intending to kill a police officer.
The defendant declined legal representation, despite being told the maximum sentence for some of the charges was life in prison.
He told Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb: '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.'
The senior judge asked him again if he would like to delay the case so he could take legal advice.
The defendant replied: 'That will be all right, thank you. I perfectly understand it.'
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.
He 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.
Dighton was remanded into custody.
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Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Astonishing transformation of award-winning student to shaven-headed 'enemy of the state' who was referred to Prevent a YEAR before he tried to stab PC to death during terrorist attack on police station
As a fresh-faced 18-year-old, Alexander Dighton won a Wales-wide competition in advanced mechanical engineering. At the time, the robotics enthusiast had aspirations to join the RAF as an engineer. Yet just a decade later he had been transformed into a self-confessed 'enemy of the state'. On January 31 this year – by now bearded and shaven-headed – the one-time star student single-handedly stormed a police station in one of the most peaceful parts of South Wales. Armed with home-made weapons including a hatchet, he set a police van alight before hitting one officer and stabbing another, shouting: 'I'm fed up, I'm done'. Attempts to overcome him with a Taser proved useless due to his thick, insulated body armour. But despite their injuries the unarmed officers bravely overpowered Dighton, who later told police: 'I've been damned from birth.' As the 28-year-old starts a 22-year jail sentence, questions are now being asked over his frightening transformation into softly-spoken, pipe-smoking airport worker to would-be police killer. It can be revealed that Dighton was referred to the Government's under-fire counter-extremism Prevent programme by worried relatives 12 months before the attack. In what almost proved a fatal misjudgement, he was assessed as not posing a serious risk and left to his own devices. Dighton continued to radicalise himself in his tiny one-bedroomed flat in South Wales where neighbours would see him exercising in the courtyard at 4am. He started planning his attack on Talbot Green police station near Pontypridd a month before turning up with home-made weapons, saying afterwards: 'Blood had to be spilled.' Following his terrifying rampage, a family member warned of a 'systemic failure' in tackling the threat posed by self-radicalised loners. They compared Dighton to Axel Rudakubana – who stabbed three children to death at a Southport dance class – and Jake Davison - who shot five people dead in Plymouth – who were both also referred to Prevent before launching their massacres. 'If all these individuals had Prevent referrals in place, why are the police not intervening, when it's the people closest to them making these referrals?' the relative asked. Like Nicholas Prosper – who plotted to shoot primary school children in Luton – and Otley Run attacker Owen Lawrence, Dighton appears to have radicalised himself by viewing graphic and extreme content online. His narrowly-averted attempted massacre is the latest example of the threat posed by violence-obsessed loners motivated by no coherent ideology. At the age of 18, Dighton was studying engineering and parametric modelling at two colleges in South Wales. He later moved to Preston, Lancashire before vanishing following a breakdown, leaving all his belongings behind in May 2022. That prompted his worried family to report him missing to police. They believe he may be autistic, although it is understood he was never formally diagnosed. Returning to South Wales, Dighton moved into a one-bed flat in a new-build housing association estate in Llantrisant, a five-minute drive from the police station he would go onto attack. He got a job manufacturing inflatable evacuation slides for aeroplanes at Cardiff Airport, cycling the 12-mile journey to work as he didn't own a car. Neighbours on the well-tended development likened him to Sherlock Holmes because of his penchant for wearing an old-fashioned suit and greenish-brown waistcoat while smoking tobacco with a pipe. He was also fond of a round "Amish-style" hat and used an old bicycle inner-tube as a belt for his trousers, telling some how he wished he had been born in the 1800s. Dighton told them he 'wanted kids but he wasn't interested in women'. Police chiefs have praised the bravery and professionalism of the five officers who came face-to-face with Dighton on the night of the attack The flat was completely unfurnished, lacking even curtains, and he slept on the floor in a sleeping bag. Neighbours nevertheless described him as 'pleasant' and having 'a heart of gold'. "I'd see him in the morning smoking his pipe, and he'd doff his hat and say, 'Good morning to you, sir. Do you want anything up the shop?'' one said. But they became increasingly worried about conspiracy theories he would spout after staying up late delving the darker corners of the internet. 'He'd stay up all through the night,' said one. 'He didn't have a TV but he'd be gaming and watching things on the internet." In January 2024 – 12 months before he went on the rampage – a relative referred Dighton to Prevent. The same family member contacted South Wales Police a fortnight before the attack with concerns about his behaviour. Ahead of his sentencing they branded it a 'systematic failure'. 'It was highlighted to all the right people and it wasn't prevented,' the relative said. 'It raises the question: are police well-staffed enough? And mental health services that could have helped Alex have been cut. 'This was preventable. There has to be a policy change somewhere with regards to these radicalised individuals. The Prevent referrals are not preventing attacks.' In the run-up to his rampage Dighton's behaviour became increasingly erratic. 'He was on about children getting sex education at the age of three," said the neighbour. 'And the police being child molesters and perverts. 'He told us he was on the dark web and he was 'looking into it deep''. 'He would talk about the government, then move onto the police, and then onto gaming, and then back to paedophiles. 'He had a massive problem with authority.' Around this time Dighton began posting racist on X – formerly Twitter – under the profile @VulkantheJust, an apparent reference to a Warhammer character. His profile has a blue tick awarded to users with a paid-for subscription, extending the reach of their posts. His bio reads: 'Dammed [sic] before Birth.' While his messages are only visible to followers, one user who responded branded him a 'little twit who thinks his failures are somehow the fault of 12 year old girls'. Neighbours believe a trigger for Dighton 'cracking' was a dispute with a man who lived in the area. They claim Dighton made allegations that the man had been smoking drugs but that police did not take any action. Dighton's anger grew and on July 29 last year he committed a public order offence against the man, later receiving a conditional discharge. His fixation on police intensified as he repeatedly complained they 'only see the things they want to see'. One neighbour said a relative of Dighton had urged him to see a GP about his mental health but he refused and told the family member 'not to bother' with him anymore. Despite receiving a promotion at work, around a month before launching the police attack he unexpectedly quit his job. Neighbours said police attended over concerns for Dighton's welfare but he confronted officers, shouting: 'P*** off, don't come here.' The day before the attack he shaved his hair - which neighbours said had grown to resemble Doc Brown from Back to the Future – and spent part of the night pacing back and forth outside the flats, smoking his pipe. Condemning his 'disgusting' actions, one said: 'Why, Alex? The police were only doing their job. 'I am really gutted.' In March Dighton - who represented himself - pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of a police officer. He also admitted attempted grievous bodily harm, battery, attempted arson, possession of an offensive weapon, two bladed article offences and two of damaging property. The Old Bailey heard that searches of Dighton's home uncovered journals revealing his fixation on anti-immigrant ideology. Counter-terror police admit he slipped through the net – but insist there was nothing to suggest what he was planning. Det Supt Andrew Williams, head of counter terrorism policing in Wales, said there was nothing to suggest he would go on to carry out such an 'horrific' attack. Dighton was assessed by specialist officers over a three-week period over anti-immigration and anti-Islam views as well an interest in the involuntary celibate 'incel' movement. 'They interviewed him at length, they undertook due diligence checks and the conclusion was he did not meet the criteria required for inclusion onto the prevent programme,' he said. 'I must stress that there was absolutely no information or evidence that would suggest he would attack anyone let alone police officers outside Talbot Green as he did a year later.' Dighton was heavily into the Dark Web and also obsessed with the fantasy game Warhammer where armoured miniature warriors use a variety of weapons to battle their foes. He was wearing insulating body armour on the night he struck, and when officers tried to Taser him the electric shock had no effect. Pepper spray also failed to incapacitate him. Dighton was carrying an axe, a hatchet, a pole with two blades attached to it and a knife along with a Molotov cocktail which he hurled at police as they came towards him. Det Supt Williams said Dighton had developed a 'very firm hatred of the state' over his anti-immigration views and 'saw the police as a legitimate target' as a 'representative of the state'. He had begun planning the police station attack around a month earlier, procuring the body armour plus an axe, hatchet, and knife. Det Supt Williams said due to the short timescale 'I don't think there is anything that could have been done differently'. Interviewed by police afterwards, Dighton said he wanted 'to do the maximum damage and cause as much injury to others as he possibly could' and that 'blood had to be spilled.' Nicholas Prosper (left) who plotted to shoot primary school children in Luton after murdering his mother and siblings and Otley Run attacker Owen Lawrence (right) both radicalised themselves by viewing graphic and extreme content online Detectives are in no doubt that he took his inspiration from the internet, gaming and far-right forums, saying he struggled to separate reality from fantasy. Det Supt Williams said: 'He was a lonely individual, with challenges of his own, and he had ready access to material which is readily available online. 'He was a very keen gaming enthusiast and in some of his interviews he referred to the Warhammer type games. 'He identified with characters in that gaming methodology. 'It's a sad indictment of where we are that that stuff is readily accessible and he was freely able to discuss with other like-minded individuals online about their opinions, their thoughts and their mindset. Det Supt Williams said 'lessons were always learned' when individuals like Dighton target the state for terrorist attacks. 'It is a very complex and detailed world that our officers operate in and are required to prioritise and make decisions based on assessments that they undertake on a daily basis,' he said. Nevertheless the case will increase pressure to reform the Prevent strategy, which saw 6,884 referrals in the 12 months to March 2024 – two-fifths relating to children 15 and under. Killers found to have been dismissed too readily by Prevent teams include Islamic State supporter Ali Harbi Ali who stabbed Conservative MP Sir David Amess to death during a constituency surgery at a church hall in Leigh-on-Sea. Following the Southport dance studio attack a rapid review found Axel Rudakubana's referral had been 'closed prematurely'. The Home Office is examining how to strengthen Prevent, including how it responds to cases where mental ill-health is a factor. Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones, lead officer for Mid Glamorgan, praised the bravery and professionalism of the five officers who came face-to-face with Dighton on the night of the attack. He said: 'The courage displayed by all officers is truly commendable, but it is important to recognise the profound impact these events have had on the officers themselves, their families and the wider community. 'Each officer is not just a public servant but a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter or a parent and their families are undoubtedly deeply affected by incidents such as these on a daily basis. 'Such an incident against our officers at their workplace serves as a stark reminder of the risks that can arise unexpectedly.'
North Wales Chronicle
11 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Terrorist who attacked officers outside police station jailed for life
Alexander Dighton, 28, knocked one officer unconscious and stabbed another in the leg when he launched an attack on Talbot Green Police Station in Rhondda Cynon Taf on January 31. In a police interview after the attack, Dighton, of Pontyclun, said he did not consider the scope of damage, 'merely that blood had to be spilt'. The court heard Dighton held racist and anti-Muslim views, with the judge saying the offences had a 'terrorist connection'. Dighton also told officers he had kept a sharpened shovel to attack the police if they came to his home. Judge Mark Lucraft KC, the Record of London, sentenced Dighton to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years at the Old Bailey on Friday. Dighton, who represented himself in court, showed no emotion as he was sentenced. It was revealed during the hearing that Dighton had been referred to the anti-terrorism Prevent programme in January 2024 by his sister, who said her brother holds racist and anti-Muslim views, and is likely to be involved with incel groups. Despite the referral, Dighton's Prevent case was closed after three weeks when it was decided he did not meet the criteria to be included on the scheme. The judge said: 'It is clear that you continue to hold entrenched views. 'Other than the early guilty pleas, there is little else to be said to your credit.' He said since Dighton's arrest, there had been a 'close investigation' into his activities. 'Of particular significance is a report to Prevent on the basis of the racist and anti-Muslim views you hold and the likelihood of being involved with incel groups,' he said. 'I note too various online activity that which shows an increasing fixation on issues such as diversity, paedophilia, immigration, anti-Islamic sentiments and dissatisfaction with the British Government.' The incel movement – short for involuntary celibate – involves people who find themselves unsuccessful in relationships, often harbouring extreme and misogynistic views. The judge said the officers, who were all experienced and deserved commendation, were 'deeply shocked by the nature and ferocity' of the attack. 'Some thought they were going to die as a result of what you had with you and what you were doing. 'Many speak of the anxiety, worry and sleepless nights for them and their families that have followed.' Dighton arrived at the police station shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van. When that failed to ignite, he attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole. When confronted by officers, Dighton said 'I'm fed up, I'm done', before launching his attack. Attempts to restrain him using a Taser were unsuccessful because he was wearing body armour. He swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery. Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment. The court also heard Dighton had recently been involved in an altercation with his neighbour, during which he used a homophobic slur. A week before the incident, he had received a letter from the police telling him to attend a station to provide biometric samples in relation to the alleged public order offence. In a police interview after the attack on the police station, Dighton said that he expected officers to go to his home to attempt to arrest him for not providing a sample. Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn said: 'He intended to attack the police officers who attended with a shovel, which he had sharpened for that purpose, and that his intention at that time was to kill any police officers who attended. 'No officers in fact attended the defendant's address.' During the interview, he also said his intention was to let it be known that 'his tolerance for the Government had come to an end' by causing as much damage as possible. Mr Hearn said: '(Dighton) said that he had 'teetered' as to whether he wanted to kill someone and had not been 'fully decided'.' The court heard that the defendant is neurodiverse and was diagnosed with a mood disorder, which may make him susceptible to the influence of others. He spent a great deal of time online and in had a particular fascination with the video game Warhammer 40K, making reference in his diary to a character from the long-running series, called Vulkan. He said: 'So with contempt as my armour, faith my shield and hatred my sword, let me be the emperor's wrath. For Vulkan, for the Emperor.' Dighton, representing himself in court, spoke about violence being 'justified' against the state. He referred to grooming gangs and 'Boris Johnson having parties while the country is locked down' during the Covid-19 pandemic. The defendant added: 'People have such a short memory, it is terrible. 'I will be dead before I leave prison anyway, so that doesn't bother me.' Dighton previously admitted 10 charges relating to the incident, including attempting to murder Detective Constable Jack Cotton and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman. He also admitted assaulting Pc Joshua Emlyn and threatening Pc Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole. Dighton will be subject to terrorist notification requirements for 30 years. 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,' he said. '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.' Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones, of South Wales Police, paid tribute to the 'bravery and professionalism' of the officers at the scene. 'Each officer is not just a public servant but also a husband, wife, or parent, and their families are undoubtedly deeply affected by incidents such as these that officers face daily,' he said. 'I want to also recognise the detectives' unwavering commitment throughout the investigation which is also commendable.'
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Wales Online
Counter-terror police assessed Alexander Dighton a year before attack and found 'no cause for concern'
Counter-terror police assessed Alexander Dighton a year before attack and found 'no cause for concern' Alexander Dighton had been referred to the anti-terrorism programme Prevent in January 2024 Shattered glass can be seen on the ground outside the station (Image: Mark Lewis ) An anti-Islam terrorist had been reported to authorities a year before he attacked officers with Molotov cocktails and a hatchet outside a Welsh police station. Police have now defended the checks that were carried out into Alexander Dighton, 28, who has been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years in prison. He knocked one officer unconscious and stabbed another in the leg when he launched an attack on Talbot Green Police Station in Rhondda Cynon Taf on January 31. In a police interview after the attack, Dighton, of Pontyclun, said he did not consider the scope of damage, 'merely that blood had to be spilt'. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here He previously admitted 10 charges relating to the incident, including attempting to murder Detective Constable Jack Cotton and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman. Dighton also admitted assaulting PC Joshua Emlyn and threatening PC Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole. Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentenced Dighton, who had been referred to the anti-terrorism programme Prevent in January 2024, to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years. Article continues below Alexander Stephen Dighton (Image: South Wales Police ) The judge told the defendant, who represented himself in court, that the offences had 'a terrorist connection'. He said: 'It is clear that you continue to hold entrenched views. Other than the early guilty pleas, there is little else to be said to your credit.' The judge said the police officers that encountered Dighton were experienced. He added: 'Whilst they accept potential violence and difficult confrontations are part of the role of being a police officer, they were all deeply shocked by the nature and ferocity of your attack.' Prosecuting, Nicholas Hearn described how Dighton's 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. You can read more here about family concerns. The incel movement is made up of people who find themselves unsuccessful in relationships, often harbouring extreme and misogynistic views. Detective Superintendent Andrew Williams, who led the investigation, said it was clear that Dighton was motivated by strong anti-Government, anti-immigration, anti-Islam views and that he acted to "undermine democracy". He confirmed that Dighton was referred to counter terrorism programme Prevent a year before the attack but after three weeks of assessments, including interviews with Dighton, it was concluded that he was not high enough risk to be included. Defending that decision DS Williams said there was no indication he would launch a violent attack on officers. Detective Superintendent Andrew Williams from South Wales Police led the investigation (Image: WalesOnline ) He said it was hard to predict what people will do, despite rigorous checks: "It is very difficult to speculate on what radicalised him. We can say that Alex Dighton was a lonely individual who lived by himself and had challenges with his health. "He spent a lot of time on gaming channels. He identified with (the game) Warhammer and identified with characters from that game. Lots of misinformation goes online. "Over the past few years counter terrorism policing has processed 30,000 referrals to Prevent. Every year there are 20,000 referrals from the public into suspected terrorist action. So there has got to be a prioritisation of referrals. "These are highly trained and dedicated officers (doing referrals and prioritising) and in January 2024 they undertook extensive checks on Alex Dighton." He added: "Prevent has intervened successfully but behaviour is often unpredictable. Nothing predicted what he was going to go on to do. "It is easy to have hindsight but the information at the time was no cause for concern. Alex Dighton said in interviews that he only formulated his plan to attack one month before." Describing events that night he said: "Alex Dighton left home for a police station with the clear intent to cause as much damage and injury to others as he could. He had a lock knife, metal hatchet, wooden pole with sharp metal plates which he said he had sharpened with the intent to harm police. "I need to be clear - the courage of officers cannot be overstated. One of the officers attempted to subdue him by taser but that was ineffective as he was wearing body armour. Another officer was struck across the head with a pole. "When the officers took him to the ground he reached behind and pulled out his lock knife and stabbed an officer in the thigh narrowly missing his femoral artery. "Our investigation showed Dighton was motivated by a strong anti-state, anti-government , anti-Islam and anti-immigration mindset. "He acted to undermine our democracy. Alex Dighton was known to us. He was referred to Prevent in January 2024 - 12 months earlier. He was referred on the basis of expressing anti immigration and anti-Islam views as well as views on incel, the celibacy movement. "Police from Counter Terrorism Wales did a detailed assessment which included interviewing Alex Dighton at length. That assessment took three week. "After that the conclusion was he did not meet the criteria to be included on the Prevent programme. "Nothing in that assessment suggested he would go on to commit such an attack. The three week assessment included checks on local systems, partners, lengthy interview and we asked him what he was looking at and who he was associating with. "He later said he decided to do the attack a month before he did it." On the night of the attack, Dighton arrived at the police station shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van. When that failed to ignite, he attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole. When confronted by officers, Dighton said 'I'm fed up, I'm done', before launching his attack. Attempts to restrain him using a Taser were unsuccessful because of the body armour he was wearing. He swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery. Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment. 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,' he said. '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.' Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones, of South Wales Police, paid tribute to the 'bravery and professionalism' of the officers at the scene. Article continues below 'Each officer is not just a public servant but also a husband, wife, or parent, and their families are undoubtedly deeply affected by incidents such as these that officers face daily,' he said. 'I want to also recognise the detectives' unwavering commitment throughout the investigation which is also commendable.'
