Exclusive: Cops close in on knifeman caught on film

Jun 29 2008 By Derek Alexander

POLICE are closing in on the thug secretly filmed stabbing a Sunday Mail investigator.

A flood of calls to our office identified the savage knifeman as Robert Graham, 28, after we revealed the attack horror last week.

Our team have given statements to detectives and handed over our dossier of evidence, including the shocking covert footage of the attack.

Graham, who has been detained by police in an unrelated matter, is a serial offender with previous convictions for theft and violence. He was convicted of assault to severe injury at Glasgow Sheriff Court in October 2006 and sentenced to 42 months in prison.

He was only released on parole in February.

The junkie also has a string of convictions for theft including a four-month sentence in 2004.

He launched a knife attack on our investigator seconds after we left the home of drug-dealing rival Billy Thompson, 40, while on a drugs investigation.

Graham and his henchmen were waging a heroin turf war with Thompson - the only surviving son of gangster Arthur Thompson.

Our man suffered a knife wound to his left arm after refusing to buy heroin from the gang instead of Thompson.

Graham, who is estranged from his family after attacking his mum and gran, then demanded our investigator hand over his possessions, including cash. The attack happened at 3pm ten days ago and was secretly filmed by covert camera equipment.

One source said: "This man is scum who never goes anywhere without carrying a knife. He's been in and out of prison for 10 years and is hated everywhere he goes.

"When he's been inside, he's had to go on protection because other cons want to kill him."

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said no-one had yet been charged over the incident.

She added: "Our inquiries are continuing."