Armed pensioner accused of attacking man with axe.

Woman also pleads not guilty to having several weapons, including sprays

A pensioner appeared in court yesterday accused of attacking a man with an axe and being heavily armed with knives, pepper spray and spray guns loaded with acid.

Joy Thomson, 60, is alleged to have loaded two plant sprayers with sulphuric acid as part of an arsenal of weapons.

Thomson, of Whiteloch Avenue, Blairgowrie, is alleged to have assaulted Thomas Thomson by striking him on the head with an axe on December 23 last year.

She is further alleged to have brandished a knife at him during the incident at Bramblebank House, Balmoral Road, Rattray.

Thomson is alleged to have been carrying numerous bladed instruments – including three knives, an axe and a carving knife – in Balmoral Road on the same date.

She faces a charge of possessing offensive weapons – namely a knife and Black Sabre Spray containing noxious substances CS gas and capsaicin/pepper – on December 23 and Christmas Eve.

Thomson, who sat with a cape over her head at Perth Sheriff Court, denies the charges against her and has lodged a special defence of diminished responsibility.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said he had recently taken over the case and it was agreed to put the scheduled jury trial off until next year to allow for further investigation.

He said: “This lady has had no representation for the last three months. At this point we are certainly not ready. It is not the fault of the accused.”

Depute fiscal John Malpass said: “There were concerns that the accused had been effectively self-representing. That wouldn’t be appropriate in the circumstances.”

Mr Malpass told the court he expected the trial to last for four days and Sheriff Gillian Wade agreed to set a trial for February.

Thomson had bail continued.