Violent intruder Derek Alland attacked man in his own home in Dundee with samurai sword

A violent intruder who attacked a man in his own home with a samurai sword after being freed under five bail orders was jailed for more than six years on Wednesday.

Derek Alland hit his victim over the head with a glass bottle and knocked him to the floor, before repeatedly punching and stamping on him.

The 29-year-old then grabbed the ornamental sword and struck his victim with the weapon during the attack at a flat at Hilltown Court, in Dundee, on February 15 this year.

A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told him that he carried out a “horrific and sustained assault” on a man who opened the door to him.

Lady Poole said: “It must have been a terrifying experience for your victim as well as his partner who was in the flat at the time.”

The judge pointed out that Alland, who has previous convictions for violence, disorder, drugs and bail breaches, committed the assault on the man and a further attack on a police officer after being released early from a 13 month sentence of imprisonment.

Lady Poole said: “These are very serious offences. Given your previous record and the nature of the offences before the court custodial sentences are inevitable.”

She told Alland that he would have faced a nine year jail term for the assault, but for his early plea of guilty.

Alland, a prisoner, previously admitted assaulting the man to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of life. He had been freed five times at Dundee Sheriff Court on bail orders.

He also admitted assaulting a detective constable by spitting at him at Dundee police office, in the city’s West Bell Street, after the sword attack.

He was ordered to serve a further eight months imprisonment for the attack on the police officer.

Lady Poole also ordered that Alland should be under supervision for a further three year period when he will be under licence and can be returned to jail if he breaches its conditions.

The court heard that Alland was drunk when he knocked on the door of the flat and was wearing only one shoe and barged his way in before launching the assault on the man.

When police arrived the victim told them that his multiple injuries were caused by the weapons used on him. Officers traced Alland, who was detained and handcuffed, but continued to be abusive and hostile.

He then spat on the detective without warning in the cell area of the police station as he was attempting to take a DNA sample from Alland.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment for his wounds sustained in the attack by Alland.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson earlier told the court that Alland described himself as “very, very drunk” at the time of the offences.

He said that Alland cannot remember the police assault but accepted responsibility for the crime.