Edinburgh crime: Violent thug attacked police officer with vodka bottle at Edinburgh Waverley train station

Attacker appears in Edinburgh court

A violent thug left a British Transport Police officer requiring hospital treatment after smashing him over the head with a vodka bottle.

Jay Ferguson, 19, lashed out at PC Mitchell Clelland with the makeshift weapon during a confrontation at Waverley train station in Edinburgh in 2022.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told officers were called out to deal with a report of an assault within the station and apprehended Ferguson who matched the description of the alleged attacker.

The incident happened at Edinburgh' Waverley train station in March 2022. Stock photo by Lisa Ferguson.

Fiscal depute Sarah Noon said Ferguson and PC Mitchell became involved in a scuffle on the ground before the lout got up and threw the vodka bottle at the officer with “extreme force”. The bottle struck the officer to the side of the head and then smashed into pieces on the ground.

Ferguson ran off towards the Princes Street exit but was eventually traced after he made his way back to his temporary accommodation at the Travelodge hotel at the city’s Cameron Toll area. Officers arrested the teenager four hours later at around 11.20pm on March 25, 2022.

The court was told PC Clelland was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after he had suffered severe swelling and bruising to his head. He was also said to have suffered from a severe headache, nausea, blurred vision and memory loss following the brutal attack on him.

A later examination showed he had suffered an interior disc displacement within his jaw but the court was told the officer had suffered no permanent injury.

The court was told of a second incident involving Ferguson where police officers were called to a report of a disturbance at the New Horizons premises in Haddington, East Lothian. Ferguson was located to his room at the non-secure unit for young people and spoken to by police at around midday on June 7, 2022. During the conversation he was said to have become “unhappy with the police officers and words were exchanged”.

Ms Noon said: “This resulted in Mr Ferguson spitting at PC Natalie Dalziel striking her on the right cheek.”

He was immediately arrested and taken to the capital’s St Leonard’s police station where he was cautioned and charged.

Ferguson appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, Thursday, January 18, where he pleaded guilty to both police assault charges.

Defence agent Angela Craig said her client is currently staying at the Melville Inn at Lasswade in Midlothian and was in custody after being arrested on Wednesday in connection with alleged housebreaking offences.

Ms Craig said: “Clearly these are very serious charges and my client is well aware of the options here.”

Sheriff Ian Nicol deferred sentence to next month for the preparation of social work reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Mitchell Clelland by throwing a glass bottle at him to his severe injury at Waverley Station, Edinburgh, on March 25, 2022.

He also admitted to assaulting PC Natalie Dalziel by spitting on her head at Florabank Road, Haddington, on June 7, 2022. Following his guilty pleas Ferguson then appeared on petition at the capital court charged with several further offences. The 19-year-old faced allegations of theft by housebreaking, attempted housebreaking with intent to steal and theft of a motor vehicle.

He was also charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and to attempting to pervert the course of justice during the private hearing on Thursday afternoon.

Sheriff Christopher Dickson remanded Ferguson in custody and the case was continued for further examination. He made no plea and is due to return to the dock for a further appearance within eight days.