Man laughs while slashing knife at Northampton police officer as she tried to arrest him
By: Video footage captures the moment a man laughs as he pinned a police officer to the floor and threatened to slash her with a knife.
Gordon Finnlayson, 39, attacked the officer at a home in Northampton, on March 8, when officers attended following reports of an assault.
The video shows him walking down a hallway before he tells the police officers who have just arrived: ‘You are too late’.
He then slashes at one of the police officers who he pushed to the floor as she screams out in horror while Finnlayson laughs.
The other female police officer tried to disarm him but failed and both were repeatedly shoved and pushed to the ground.
One of the officers screams at him: ‘Put the knife down. Put the knife down.’ before he calls her a ‘bitch’ and runs out of the house.
Outside the house, one of the police officers tearfully asks the other officer: ‘I don’t know if I’ve been stabbed.
‘Please check if I’ve been stabbed. I’m so sorry, I just stepped back.’
Even when he was arrested, Finnlayson continued laughing in the street.
He had to be tasered three times before officers could handcuff him and put him in a police van.
The officers escaped major physical injury despite being rushed to hospital.
Finnlayson was jailed at Northampton Crown Court last week to six years in jail after admitting two counts of Section 18 attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The court also heard Finnlayson had 35 previous convictions, including seven assaults on police officers.
Detective Inspector Nick Peters said: ‘These two officers showed incredible courage in the face of a violent and sustained attack by a man who was not only armed and much larger than them, but also appeared to be enjoying trying to seriously hurt them.
‘During the incident, Finnlayson seemed to be trying to isolate the officers from one another so he could continue his assault without distraction.
‘Without their determination and bravery in sticking together and protecting each other, they could have been seriously or even fatally injured by him.
‘Police officers come to work not knowing what their shift will bring, and although they are trained and prepared to deal with violent incidents, this is the kind of job no-one ever wants to face.
‘With the officers’ agreement we have released their body-worn video from the incident, which shows just how unpredictable, violent and frightening Gordon Finnlayson was that night.
‘I’m really pleased to see such a strong custodial sentence handed down in this case, and want to thank all those involved for their work in ensuring a dangerous man has been brought to justice.’