Terror as attacker wielded chainsaw

A MAN pursued a teenager with his car and later threatened him with a chainsaw in a “very dangerous” attack.

The 16-year-old victim was walking his girlfriend to work in Shaftesbury when he noticed a black Mercedes following him.

Prosecutor Matthew Mortimer told Bournemouth Crown Court how the victim recognised Nathaniel Cruickshank, 19, in the vehicle and remembered it from when his girlfriend was harassed days before.

Shortly after dropping off his girlfriend at work, the teenager went to challenge Cruickshank and his friend. Cruickshank rolled down the window and shouted insults at him.

Mr Mortimer said Cruickshank suddenly punched the victim in the shoulder, which caused him to fall and then dug his nails into his neck and back. The victim suffered scratches to his face and neck. But the attack escalated when Cruickshank gestured to his friend to “grab the power tool” - a chainsaw.

Mr Mortimer said: “The defendant continued shouting at the complainant and walked towards him carrying the chainsaw, which he had started.

“The defendant was holding the electric chainsaw at head height and was pointing at the complainant’s neck and rubbing the machine as he did so.

“The complainant describes being terrified and genuinely believed that the defendant was going to kill him”.

The teenager bravely told Cruickshank: “If you’re going to do something, do it.” Instead, Cruickshank threw the chainsaw into the car and the pair drove away from the area.

Cruickshank was arrested within an hour of the attack. During police interview, he offered no comment answers and was subsequently charged.

Cruickshank, of Forge End in East Stour, previously pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm to a person as well as threatening another person with a chainsaw.

At his sentencing on Thursday, Mary Aspinall-Miles said her client had been diagnosed with autism and anger management issues, but had not been taking his medication at the time of the assault.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Pawson acknowledged his struggles with his autism but remarked his use of a chainsaw was “highly dangerous”.

Cruickshank was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 40 rehabilitation activity days and 170 hours of unpaid work. He will be required to complete monitoring for six months and ordered not to contact the victim.