Man who attacked officers with Molotov cocktails and a knife jailed for life
13 June 2025, 15:28
A man armed with Molotov cocktails and a hatchet who attacked officers has been jailed for life, with a minimum of 22 years in prison.
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Alexander Dighton, 28, has been sent behind bars for life after attacking police officers outside a South Wales police station in January.
Dighton knocked one officer unconscious and stabbed another in the leg when he launched the attack on Talbot Green Police Station in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
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”.
He previously admitted 10 charges relating to the incident, including attempting to murder a Detective Constable and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to a Sergeant.
Read more: Killer jailed for life after 'senseless' stabbing of man in South London car park
Dighton also admitted assaulting and threatening officers 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.
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 added the officers “were all deeply shocked by the nature and ferocity" of the 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.
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: “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.”
