Bodgan Gabriel Colt, otherwise known as Gabe, chased mum-of-two Claire Hoggins with the blade through a street in Edinburgh on August 24 last year.
Evil Bodgan Gabriel Colt(Image: UGC)
An axe-wielding maniac who chased a young nurse down a street in Edinburgh in a terrifying blade attack has been caged.
Bodgan Gabriel Colt, otherwise known as Gabe, was jailed for 22 months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on October 23.
The brute, originally from Romania, was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of engaging in a course of conduct which was abusive of his partner, Claire Hoggins.
Colt was jailed for nearly two years(Image: UGC)
Colt, 39, who lives in Bathgate, launched the frenzied attack on the mother after accusing her of cheating and attacking her at her home in Saline, Fife in August last year.
He was able to track her down to her friend’s address in the capital after bugging her car with a tracker.
The thug then chased mum-of-two Claire along a residential street with an axe before smashing her car with the blade and launching the weapon into a tree.
Claire Hoggins.(Image: UGC)
Armed cops were able to end the terrifying pursuit after the alarm was raised by her friend’s neighbours.
Speaking after sentencing, Claire, 38, told the Record: “There was a massive wave of relief when I heard the judge hand down a jail term.
“It will be difficult, but I’m now finally able to try and move on with my life, albeit completely traumatised by these events.
“Standing through the trial was unbearable at points.
“All the way through and even on the day of sentencing, he showed no remorse.
“This man is a danger to women and I’m glad the judge was able to see through his excuses.
“It’s important he never gets an opportunity to do something like this again.”
Colt launched the axe through a tree following the terrifying ordeal(Image: UGC)
Images show the windscreen and rear window of Claire’s car smashed following the horror ordeal last year.
The axe was also pictured lodged through a tree after Colt was arrested by police.
The pair first met at a care home in Fife, where Claire worked as a senior nurse and Colt was employed as a care assistant.
They struck up a relationship and were together for over two years.
Claire’s smashed car(Image: UGC)
Claire said: “I still suffer from PTSD. I was left screaming, running and crying for help, it was the most terrifying ordeal of my life.
“I would urge other victims to inform themselves of different types of domestic abuse.
“The reason people return to toxic relationships is because they are in a trauma bond and unaware of it until it becomes dangerous – that was the case for me.
“It’s important to recognise abuse as it is and call it out or try to escape it before it manifests.
“Accusations of cheating or doing something you haven’t done is abuse.
“It doesn’t just impact a victim – it impacts a whole family. My two children have struggled a lot throughout this whole process.”
(Image: UGC)
Colt was also given a 25-year non-harassment order and will face 11 months supervision upon his release.
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