Rail network closed down after armed man on Edinburgh train station tracks threatened to kill police officers

Peter Henshaw called 999 and told operators he was armed with the large knife and wanted to murder a police officer as he walked along the rail tracks at an Edinburgh train station.

Henshaw, 42, said he would “kill any officer” who approached him and rail bosses were forced to close down the network in the early hours of Boxing Day last year. Armed cops raced to the scene at the capital’s Wester Hailes train station and Henshaw was eventually stopped after he was tasered as he walked towards officers while holding the blade.

Henshaw appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month where he pleaded guilty to possessing a knife and stating he would kill police officers while standing on the tracks at Wester Hailes train station.

Henshaw appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

Stay on track with all of Edinburgh’s biggest and latest stories with the Edinburgh Evening News daily newsletter.

Fiscal depute Erin Illand told the court Henshaw first contacted the 999 emergency service and stated “I’m going to kill someone” at around 1.35am on December 26 last year.

Ms Illand said: “At 1.46am a second call was made and he stated ‘I’ve got a kitchen knife and I’m going to go out and kill someone’. Police officers spoke to the accused at 1.59am and during that call he stated ‘I’m at Wester Hailes train station and I have a knife and I’m going to kill police’.”

Officers attended at the station where they found Henshaw standing on the tracks in possession of 17cm long blade.The court heard he told the constables to “get to f***” and that he would “kill any officer” who approached him.

The fiscal added: “The accused then contacted 999 again and stated ‘If the officer with the dog doesn’t back off I am going to kill people’.”

The court was told armed officers officers attended the scene and Network Rail was contacted to cancel all trains due to Henshaw making his way along the lines on foot. The lout was traced around an hour later where he was seen holding the blade to his chest and officers were forced to use a taser as Henshaw approached them with the knife.

Henshaw was subsequently taken to St John’s hospital in Livingston and later arrested and charged.

He returned to the dock for sentencing on Friday where lawyer Joe Boyd said his client had been suffering from “a significant and protracted problem with alcohol”.

Mr Boyd said Henshaw had been “drinking heavily and consistently” on Christmas Day and had “no clear memory” of the incident involving police on the train tracks.

The solicitor added: “While he accepts the language used, direct threats towards the police officers, he tells me he had no intention to do any harm to anyone other than himself. He tells me the disruption that was caused, to no doubt a number of people as a result of the rail network having to be closed, he is extremely remorseful about it.”

Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC described the incident as “concerning” but acknowledged Henshaw had been in custody for five months, and agreed to the defence motion to impose a community order.

Henshaw, of Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, was placed under the supervision of the social work department for 15 months and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work. The sheriff also imposed a conduct requirement where Henshaw will have to attend alcohol and mental health counselling when required to do so.