Thug jailed for holding nurse hostage

Aug 12 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A “DELUDED” thug who held a nurse hostage in her own home because he thought someone was trying to kill him has been jailed for three months.

Polish immigrant Rafal Swiderski, who was armed with a 12-inch knife, put his 51-year-old victim through a terrifying four-hour ordeal at her Broxburn home.

It only came to an end when firearms officers were forced to fire two Taser rounds and a rubber baton round at the 20-year-old, who was high on amphetamines and alcohol at the time of the incident on May 22.

It was only the second time either weapon had been used by Lothian and Borders Police and the first time both had been used together.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard the staff nurse had finished a night shift at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and returned home at around 9.20am and went to bed.

Fiscal depute Graham Fraser said Ms Johnston woke to the sound of someone walking around her house at around 12.15pm.

She shouted from her bed “Who’s there?” three times but there was no reply. Then her bedroom door opened and Swiderski entered.

“He appeared agitated, looking around the room and gesturing to her to be quiet,” Mr Fraser said.

Swiderski went to the kitchen and reappeared with a foot-long kitchen knife in the back of his trousers.

Ms Johnston was able to get her mobile phone and sent a text message to her boyfriend saying: “Help, phone police”. When her boyfriend tried and failed to contact her by phone he dialled 999.

Mr Fraser continued: “The accused then got the knife and held it against his own stomach like he was going to stab himself. He did this on several occasions and Ms Johnston tried to calm him down.

“He looked out the bedroom and at that point he placed a treadmill and bed against the bedroom door preventing her from leaving.

“At no point was the knife ever pointed at her but she was absolutely terrified as she had no idea what was going to happen next.

“Officers called into the house for the accused to calm down and let the lady go but he simply said no. The police were able to distract him sufficiently that she was able to push the bed away from the door little by little until she was able to squeeze out by pushing the treadmill out the way.”

Swiderski then barricaded himself in the bedroom again and firearms officers were called in to remove him from the house.

Mr Fraser added: “A Taser was discharged at him and he was also struck with a baton round discharged by a police officer.”

Swiderski, previously of Broxburn but described as a prisoner of Saughton, pled guilty to breaching the peace by entering the nurse's home without invitation and brandishing a knife.

His solicitor, Raymond McMenamin, told the court his client’s recollection of the incident had been affected because he had taken amphetamines and alcohol.

“He had been under the impression that someone or some persons had been following him and had been threatening his life,” Mr McMenamin said.

“These fears appear to have been totally unfounded and were a production of his own imagination.

“It appears that in his time in her house, his actions were focussed on protecting himself from those he perceived to be chasing him.

“When he obtained the knife it was not to threaten or attack the occupant. He expresses remorse for his behaviour.”

Jailing Swiderski for three months, Sheriff Graeme Warner said he took into account the time the he had spent in custody on remand.

Sheriff Warner added: “I intend to say very little about the level of terror that was caused to this lady. I think that is more or less self evident. I’m told that you already realise the upset and damage that you caused, but because of the seriousness of the matter the only disposal can be one of custody.”