A BRAVE court officer who tackled and captured a convicted killer after he fled the dock has retired.

Gordon Morison, who worked as a macer at the High Court in Glasgow for more than 20 years, rugby-tackled Michael Ross seconds after he leapt from the dock, and then held him until the police could handcuff him.

Ross, a sergeant in the Black Watch, had just been found guilty of murdering 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood by shooting him in the head at close range in Orkney in 1994.

Ross was not brought to justice until 2007.

He had a weapons cache hidden in a car parked in the Tesco car park at St Rollox in Springburn.

Mr Morison, who suffered facial injuries, was later praised for his ­actions by trial judge Lord Hardie.

At the time he said: "It was purely instinctive. I just ran after him and caught him."

At his retiral celebration, held at the High Court, Mr Morison received gifts from his colleagues and advocates.

The event was attended by court canteen and cleaning staff, clerks, jury minders, lawyers, advocates and High Court judges.

Top QC Brian McConnachie, chairman of the Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association, said that the three words that summed up Mr Morison's approach to his work were help, humour and humanity.

Judge Lord Turnbull also praised the role of the macer in the smooth running of the court and wished Mr Morison well in his retirement.