Man, 98, in court on WPCs attack charges

Sylvester Nowak is alleged to have severely injured WPC Shona Beattie, 42, and attempted to murder her by stabbing her on the arm with a knife.

The Polish war veteran is also alleged to have tried to murder her colleague WPC Katie Deas, 23, by attempting to strike her head and body with a knife and an axe.

The 98-year-old, who is believed to be the oldest person ever to be held in custody by Scottish police, faced the two attempted murder charges at Perth Sheriff Court.

He is alleged to have carried out the offences at his home at Birch Row, Scone, Perthshire, on Tuesday afternoon.

Nowak was detained in custody overnight before appearing on petition yesterday afternoon.

He appeared briefly in private before Sheriff Peter Hammond and made no plea or declaration in relation to the charges against him.

The case was continued for further examination after a hearing lasting 50 minutes.

A psychiatrist was called to the court to file a report and Sheriff Hammond ordered Nowak to be sent to Murray Royal psychiatric hospital in Perth to be assessed.

The assessment order lasts 28 days.

The bespectacled, white-haired and balding pensioner was supported by the arms as he was led into court.

Proceedings were delayed until the end of the court roll, as Nowak was said to have severe difficulty with his hearing.

An attempt was made to move the hearing to a different courtroom with specialised infra-red circuitry for people with hearing aids.

However, Nowak was still said to be unable to hear sufficiently, and the case was delayed for a further two hours and moved back to the original courtroom.

WPC Beattie, who has served with Tayside Police for four years, was seen by a specialist plastic surgeon in relation to her injuries.

It is believed she was given emergency surgery after sustaining damaged ligaments in her arm and complaining of being unable to use her hand properly.

WPC Deas is believed to have suffered irritation as a result of two CS gas canisters being deployed during the incident, but did not require treatment and was sent home by force chiefs.

Nowak, who was helped into court by Reliance officers, was offered a blanket to put over his head to avoid waiting photographers, but was heard to refuse the offer.

It has emerged that the pensioner, who lives on his own in the Perthshire village, had been in hospital at Perth Royal Infirmary until the day before the alleged incident.A Tayside Police spokesman confirmed that officers had been called to his address after a carer had reported concerns about his welfare.

A force spokesman said: "By the nature of the job, officers are sometimes faced with dangers. One officer has been left with a significant arm injury.

"The other officer was uninjured. Officers had attended at the address because there were concerns for an elderly man's welfare. It was a carer that raised the alarm.

"Two officers attended, which would be deemed appropriate. This incident happened upon their arrival and then a number of further officers attended at the scene to assist."

Nowak, who is known locally as Eddie, formerly worked as a welder for a coachworks firm in Perthshire and was a prisoner of the Nazis during the Second World War.