Man tried to flee court after guilty verdict

Kenneth Nicoll mounted an effort to escape after hearing he was remanded

A violent attacker who tried to flee from court rather than be taken into custody has been jailed for six months.

Kenneth Nicoll vaulted over the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court and attempted to run from the court room.

He was in the midst of a sheriff and jury trial and had just been found guilty of a charge of assault to severe injury.

Nicoll had attacked a man at the Asda Milton of Craigie store in Dundee, dragging him from a car, punching, kicking and stamping on his head and body and finally striking him with a glass bottle.

As Sheriff Lorna Drummond told him he would be remanded in custody ahead of sentencing, the 23-year-old is said to have lost it.

As a police officer and G4S security officer moved into the dock to flank him, he attempted to walk out.

Then, without warning, he vaulted the dock in “an obvious attempt to escape from custody”.

The police officer was able to pull him sideways and then secure him in a headlock.

After bringing him to the ground, the court security officer was able to secure a handcuff around his right arm.

The jury and presiding sheriff were evacuated from the court room during the incident.

He was subsequently jailed for 18 months for the assault.

Nicoll, described as a prisoner at Perth, admitted attempting to escape from custody on November 16 last year.