Police hunt machete-wielding gang after 'pre-planned attack'

13 March 2019, 15:08 | Updated: 13 March 2019, 15:10

A man was seriously injured after a "pre-planned and targeted attack" by a machete-wielding gang in Glasgow.

The 31-year-old was standing outside Barony Hall on High Street at around 10.30pm on Saturday March 9 when the incident occured.

Another man wearing shorts and a black jacket approached him and proceeded to start attacking him with a machete.

He was joined by a group of eight to nine men - wearing tracksuits with hoods covering their faces - with similar weapons who also attacked the man.

The gang ran off while members of the public who came across the victim called an ambulance.

He was taken to nearby Glasgow Royal Infirmary to be treated for a fractured skull and cuts to his body and has since been released.

Police are now appealing for information about the "targeted attack".

Detective Constable Craig Muir said: "It appears that this was a pre-planned and targeted attack and extensive enquiries are underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding what happened.

"This level of violence in the middle of a busy city centre street is completely unacceptable and I am urging members of the public who were nearby on Saturday night to please think back and consider whether you saw anything at all suspicious.

"The area would have been relatively busy with pedestrians and motorists around the time of the incident and I would like to speak to anyone who noticed some sort of disturbance or a group of men, possibly running down the street.

"I would also ask any motorists with dashcams to check their footage in case they have captured anything which could be of significance.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact Stewart Street CID via 101, quoting incident number 4755 of Saturday 9 March 2019. Alternatively, you can call CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence."