TWO MEN have been convicted of attacking a man who ended up with severe injuries to his stomach.

Robert Fleming and Sidney Ramsay were yesterday found guilty of carrying out the attack on Kevin Ritchie and his friend George Stark after a party at Fleming’s flat in Dundee on October 9, 2005.

Fleming’s brother Michael Fleming had previously admitted stabbing Mr Ritchie.

All three had been originally charged with attempting to murder Mr Ritchie but this was dropped.

Mr Stark (20) and Mr Ritchie had been among a group of people who had arrived at around 3am for the Sunday morning party at a flat in Pitalpin Court.

The group had begun to leave after the atmosphere soured but Mr Stark, who was last out of the door, was held back by Ramsay and pushed into a bedroom.

Mr Ritchie, who had gone to his friend’s aid, also ended up in the bedroom where the pair were repeatedly punched and kicked on the head and body and attacked with Chinese knives.

When the pair got outside after the attack, Mr Stark said he could see flesh coming out of his friend’s stomach and had slapped him in the face to prevent him falling into a coma as they waited for an ambulance.

After a nine-day trial at the High Court in Aberdeen yesterday, a jury found Robert Fleming and Ramsay guilty of attacking the men.

Fleming (27) was found guilty by majority, and Ramsay (29) by a unanimous verdict, of assaulting Mr Stark by preventing him from leaving the flat, seizing him and pushing him towards a bedroom and repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body.

Fleming was also found guilty of threatening Mr Stark with knives, striking him on the body with one, and scarring him for life.

Claims both men had held a knife to Mr Stark’s throat were deleted.

The jury also found Fleming guilty, by majority, and Ramsay guilty, by a unanimous verdict, of repeatedly punching and kicking Mr Ritchie on the head and body, striking him on the head with a cup and a bottle.

Fleming, who was living with his girlfriend and their two children at time, was further found guilty of striking Mr Ritchie on the body with a knife, severely injuring him and scarring him for life.

Michael Fleming (22) had earlier admitted his part in the attack on Mr Ritchie, pleading guilty to repeatedly punching and kicking him, hitting him on the head with a cup and a bottle and striking him on the body with a knife.

His plea of not guilty to attacking Mr Stark was accepted by the Crown.

Advocate depute Michael Meehan said when police had questioned Michael Fleming after the incident he had told them he had got the knives out to scare Mr Stark and Mr Ritchie and the next thing he knew had stabbed Mr Ritchie.

He said he had only meant to give him “a wee poke,” not to seriously injure him.

James Reilly, defence advocate for Robert Fleming, said his client had reacted to comments made by Mr Stark about his girlfriend and had not been the instigator of events.

Sentence has been deferred on Michael Fleming, of Morgan Street, Robert Fleming, of Wentworth Place, and unemployed Ramsay, Pitalpin Court, all Dundee, for background reports.

The case will call again at the High Court in Edinburgh on February 22.

Bail has been continued for all three men.