Weapons maniac who shot man in neck behind bars over samurai sword incidents

A man is facing a lengthy jail term after a series of incidents which saw him terrorising victims with a samurai sword and a baton.

Brian Murdoch pulled a sword on a guest at a party he was throwing, forcing the terrified victim to barricade himself in the kitchen.

On another occasion Murdoch, who was previously jailed for shooting a man in the neck, armed himself with a sword at his girlfriend's home after a birthday drinking session.

He smashed up her home and then left the property while armed with the blade - and prowled the streets in possession of the weapon.

He was once jailed for impersonating a police officer while wearing a stolen force uniform, complete with handcuffs, a radio, baton and a covert body harness.

And this week it emerged Murdoch, who was also previously jailed for a robbery involving a baton, had again used a baton to commit a crime, while trying to rob a motorist of his vehicle.

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty over three different cases when he appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court on Friday, December 12, 2025.

In July 2024 he threatened a man with the baton at the Tesco store in Paisley's Renfrew Road, in a bid to steal the man's car.

In September last year, he smashed up his then girlfriend's home after an argument broke out while he was celebrating his birthday. 

He had been drinking and in "good spirits" all day, but trouble flared in the early hours, when he asked if she thought he had been cheating on her.

Prosecutor Sean Maher explained: "He pulled a TV from the wall, causing the front to smash, he pulled a clock from the wall and hit a claw hammer off the wall, making two holes.

"He threw a vodka bottle he had been drinking from.and threw it at the living room window, smashing both panes of glass.

"He stated he wanted to go to jail and wanted to die. He then cut his wrists with a shard of broken glass from the window."

He then armed himself with a sword and marched down the hall, before leaving the property and walking the street while in possession of the weapon.

And in April this year, at his flat in Orchard Street, Renfrew, Murdoch struck a guest at his flat party, causing his lip to bleed.

Murdoch then grabbed a samurai sword and threatened his pal with it.

Mr Maher explained: "He barricaded himself in the kitchen as he was fearful for his safety."

He later left the property and contacted police and Murdoch was arrested and charged. 

Sheriff Hugh McGinty remanded Murdoch in custody and deferred sentence until next month.

In 2019, he was jailed for three years after striking a takeaway driver with a baton and pursuing him while demanding his car keys.

He then smashed the vehicle's windows with the weapon - showering a three-year-old girl who was inside with glass and leaving her covered in cuts.

In 2017 Murdoch was jailed for stealing a £50,000 car while wearing a stolen police uniform and pretending to be a CID officer.

In 2015 he was caged for 16 months at Paisley Sheriff Court for breaking in to a home in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, and stealing a £50,000 Jaguar XF.

He had boasted on Facebook he had bought the personal registration BRI4N to put on the vehicle. 

And in 2012 he was caged for four years and three months after he shot a man in the neck with an air rifle during a botched robbery.