Axe maniac is on the run from prison
Hoping for a leap year PUBLIC WARNING OVER VIOLENT FUGITIVE
BY JAMES MONCUR j.moncur@dailyrecord.co.uk A MANHUNT has been launched for an axe thug who is on the run from an open prison.
Grant McNamara – who was jailed for four years in 2013 for attacking a taxi driver – absconded from Castle Huntly, near Dundee, on Monday afternoon.
The 26-year-old split cabbie Stephen Meechan’s head open with an axe in a horror attack in Paisley.
Describing him as a “danger to the public”, Sheriff James Spy put a two-year extended sentence in place in a bid to curb any further acts of violence when he is released. McNamara, COMEDIAN Fred MacAulay carries out the traditional blessing of the River Tay with a quaich of whisky at the opening of the salmon fishing season.
And anglers are certainly hoping it brings them some luck after a “challenging” 2018 caused mainly by the threemonth summer heatwave. is still thought to have connections in the Paisley area. He is described as being 6ft 2in, of medium build, clean shaven and with short brown hair.
At his trial, the court heard that he launched the unprovoked attack on Stephen while he waited for a friend to get money to pay the taxi fare.
When his pal failed to return, McNamara – who was sitting directly behind the driver – became agitated and pleaded with Stephen not to take him to police.
He produced an axe and struck Stephen on the head, causing a sickening injury.
McNamara head-butted the victim twice before telling him: “I’ll chop you. Look at the state of your head – it’s halved in two.”
He also held the axe to Stephen’s throat.
Police have warned the public not to approach McNamara and, if seen, they are urged call 101 or 999 to alert officers.