Key Points

• Charlie Swain, 21, received an additional two-year prison sentence following a violent outburst inside the courtroom.
• Swain shouted foul-mouthed abuse and made direct threats toward jury members as they returned a guilty verdict against him.
• He struggled violently with female custody officers attempting to remove him from the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh.
• During the struggle inside the courtroom, Swain spat directly at a police officer.
• The 21-year-old was already serving a six-year prison term for violent and sexual offences committed against two young women.
• Evidence from his previous trial showed Swain carved his name into a victim’s thigh with a knife and subjected another to an assault that put her life in danger.

Edinburgh (Edinburgh Daily) October 27, 2026 – As reported by judicial correspondents for STV News, violent sex offender Charlie Swain has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison after he threatened jurors and spat at a police officer upon being convicted of brutal sexual offences against two young women.

The 21-year-old criminal staged a violent disruption inside the High Court in Edinburgh when his guilty verdict was delivered. Swain directed foul-mouthed verbal abuse towards the jury members who had just found him guilty, attempting to intimidate them as he was ordered to be removed from the dock.

As court officials moved to detain him, Swain actively resisted and struggled violently with female custody officers attempting to maintain order in the courtroom. During the ensuing struggle, the convict proceeded to spit directly at a police officer who was assisting in securing him.

What were the original convictions that led to the court outburst?

“Swain launched into foul-mouthed abuse and struggled violently with female custody officers as he was taken from a courtroom at the High Court in Edinburgh after he was found guilty of crimes against two victims.”

— STV News Court Reporter

Swain was already serving a substantial six-year custodial sentence for a horrific catalogue of abuse inflicted upon two female victims. The details of those original offences highlighted an extreme pattern of physical violence, psychological torment, and sexual violence.

Court records from his primary trial established that Swain subjected one of his victims to physical violence and severe verbal abuse before committing sexual assault. In a particularly horrific act of cruelty, Swain carved his own name into the thigh of one woman using a knife.

Furthermore, prosecutors detailed how Swain assaulted one of the women to the danger of her life, leading the presiding judge to hand down the original six-year sentence prior to his latest court appearance for court disruption.

How did the judge respond to the attack on court staff and jurors?

“Swain, 21, was later jailed for six years for the catalogue of abuse he subjected the victims to, with one woman also being assaulted to the danger of her life.”

— High Court Legal Proceedings Report

During the subsequent proceedings addressing his behavior in the dock, the judiciary made it clear that threats against jury members and assaults on law enforcement officers would carry strict extra penalties.

The presiding judge noted that attempting to intimidate a jury strikes at the very heart of the justice system, while spitting at serving officers constitutes a direct and unacceptable physical assault.

Consequently, the court handed Swain a two-year prison sentence specifically for his conduct in the dock, ensuring that his violent behavior during trial proceedings resulted in immediate additional imprisonment beyond his existing six-year term.

Background of the Particular Development

The conviction and additional sentencing of Charlie Swain highlight long-standing measures taken within the Scottish court system to protect jurors and court staff from physical assault and intimidation.

Under Scots law, threatening jury members during or immediately following a trial constitutes a severe breach of public order and contempt, often resulting in separate criminal charges for jury intimidation and breach of the peace.

Additionally, emergency workers and court officers are protected under statutory provisions designed to penalize assaults on police and custody personnel.

Incidents involving spitting at police officers carry heightened severity due to health and safety risks, ensuring that individuals who disrupt judicial proceedings face consecutive custodial sentences to uphold courtroom safety and integrity.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Jury Members and Court Officers

This judicial outcome provides significant reassurance to members of the public serving on juries, as well as custody personnel and police officers working within the high court system.

• Reassurance for Jurors: Members of the public called for jury service can expect strict judicial protection. By handing down an additional two-year sentence specifically for jury intimidation, the courts send a clear deterrent message that any attempt to threaten or abuse jurors will result in severe consecutive prison time.
• Protection for Court Officers and Police: Female custody officers and police personnel who face physical aggression or disgusting acts such as spitting while managing dangerous offenders receive strong legal backing. The ruling reinforces mandatory legal consequences for assaults on officers in court settings.
• Impact on Future Courtroom Security: High-risk offenders facing serious sentences are likely to be subject to heightened security protocols, including additional security personnel and physical restraints in the dock to prevent similar violent outbursts during verdicts.