An early morning drug deal ended in bloodshed when an alleged dealer was slashed on the arm with a “machete”.
Charles Gardiner was robbed of £150 by Paige Sharp, 27, after being attacked by her boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Kelbie, at his home in Arbroath.
A court heard how previous offenders Kelbie and Sharp went to Mr Gardiner’s Grange Place flat in order to buy drugs.
However, Kelbie struck Mr Gardiner with a machete-style knife after he became involved in a struggle with Sharp.
The couple were locked up after pleading guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Knife attack
Prosecutor Lora Apostolova said the couple were invited in by Mr Gardiner before he removed £150 from his trousers and placed it on the sofa in the living room.
Matters then took a sour turn when Kelbie had returned from the bathroom.
“The accused Kelbie saw the struggle between the accused Sharp and the complainer,” Ms Apostolova said.
“The accused Kelbie took hold of a knife.
“The complainer put his hands up before the accused struck the underside of his left right forearm with the knife.
“The accused Sharp grabbed the knife and the money.”
Mr Gardiner punched Kelbie several times during the struggle but the couple fled.
CCTV footage captured the pair being chased by Mr Gardiner down the street before escaping.
Police were contacted by Mr Gardiner from Kelbie’s phone, which he had left behind at the scene.
Police found a trail of blood from the flat along the street onto Cairnie Loan.
Sharp and Kelbie were eventually traced and arrested.
Mr Gardiner received nine stitches after being treated for a 3.5cm wound on his arm.
Under the influence
Solicitor Scott Norrie, representing Sharp, said her client appreciated a custodial sentence was inevitable given her record of previous convictions.
That position was echoed by Kelbie’s solicitor, Sarah Russo, who said her client was under the influence at the time of the attack.
She said: “The sole purpose of attending at the address was to purchase drugs.
“Mr Kelbie’s position is when he returned from the bathroom, he witnessed the struggle taking place.
“He believed Miss Sharp was under attack.
“He spotted the knife on the floor, picked it up in a moment of panic and struck the complainer with it.
“The assault was not pre-meditated.”
Appearing from custody, Sharp, a prisoner of HMP Cornton Vale, pled guilty to robbing Mr Gardiner of cash on May 17.
The charges
Kelbie, a prisoner of HMP Perth, admitted repeatedly brandishing a knife at Mr Gardiner and striking him on the body to his severe injury.
He was subject to three bail orders at the time from Forfar Sheriff Court.
Kelbie admitted a separate charge of possessing a knife on Cairnie Loan.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC jailed Sharp for 284 days.
Kelbie was ordered to serve four months for an unexpired portion of a prison sentence.
Thereafter, he will serve 343 days in prison.
