A CAREER criminal used an imitation firearm and a machete to assault a man moments before posting a video about the attack to Facebook.
Angus Cowan, 29, subjected him to a violent attack at a car park in Tillicoultry on December 4, 2024.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Cowan and another man got the victim to pick them up from an address in the town and told him to drive to the nearby Woodland Park.
The court heard that when the three men arrived, Cowan told the victim that he wanted to “show him” something.
Prosecutor Jennifer Bairner told judge Jennifer Bain KC that the item turned out to be an imitation firearm.
She added: “Mr. Cowan leant into the vehicle and pulled out a shotgun. He then hit the man in the face with the shotgun and said, ‘You know you’re f***ed’.
“He held up a photograph of his sister sitting with him (the victim). The man confirmed it was himself in the photograph.
“Angus Cowan then grabbed the man by the throat, pushed him back to the car and told him to get inside. Whilst doing so he bit the man's right ear.
“Mr Cowan then put the shotgun into the rear of the vehicle. At this point Mr Cowan was recording using his mobile phone and had a silver machete in his hand.
“Mr Cowan then got into the front passenger seat and began to hit the man's arm with the blunt edge of the machete and stated, ‘That’s what happens when people go near my wee sister’.
“He then threatened to 'gouge' the man's eyes out.”
The story emerged at a hearing.
Cowan pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting the man to his injury and striking him on the head and body with a machete and imitation firearm.
No further explanation was provided as to why Mr Cowan attacked his victim.
He also admitted breaching firearms laws by possessing an imitation firearm.
A second man called Neil Young, 47, also of Tillicoultry, was acquitted of the charges after his not guilty pleas were accepted.
The court heard how Cowan had 34 previous convictions for assault, breach of the peace, attempting to pervert the course of justice and weapons offences.
He had been released from prison in Edinburgh on October 31, 2024 and had only been at liberty for just over a month at the time of the offence.
Ms Bairner told judge Bain of how following the attack, Cowan posted a video of himself to Facebook.
The police discovered the video during their investigation.
Ms Bairner added: “The police recovered a video recorded by Angus Cowan which has been posted on a Facebook showing Angus Cowan within the front passenger seat of a motor vehicle and the victim can be identified as the driver.
“Mr Cowan is in possession of a machete which he shows to the camera.
“He shouts the following remarks into the camera: ‘This is what I dae tae c***s that go near my f*****g sister. Chop Chop Chop Chop ya f*****g bam. That’s him just been chopped f*** oot ae.’
“These comments were directed towards the victim. Mr Cowan is seen to lean towards the man with the bladed article in his hand and the victim can be heard shouting ‘Aaagh f**k sake, right right!”
The court heard that in the aftermath of the incident, the victim contacted police and told them about what happened.
Specialist firearms officers were deployed and they found the firearm used in the attack which they made safe. Cowan was later arrested.
The court heard that the firearm was assessed to be an airsoft shotgun which was designed to fire 6mm plastic ball bearings.
Ms Bairner said the appearance of the weapon breached firearms laws.
The court also heard that DNA from Cowan was found in the victim’s ear.
Cowan was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the High Court in Stirling on October 5.
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