A drug dealer repeatedly pistol whipped a man during a terrifying assault, during which he repeatedly fired shots from the gun inside a house in Fife.
Patrick Barclay struck Jamie Laws with a “Glock-style” pistol at his house in Tayport in November 2020.
Officers investigating the vicious and sustained attack later found cannabis and more than £37,000 in banknotes at 27-year-old Barclay’s home in St Andrews.
A court heard how Barclay followed Mr Laws into his house in Tayport.
Prosecutor Gavin Anderson said the victim had been out with his sister Tanya Laws and girlfriend Abbie Mulholland.
Barclay ordered the trio into the house’s living room before opening fire with the gun.
Mr Anderson told the High Court in Edinburgh Barclay and Mr Laws knew each other but no reason was given about the motives for the attack.
Faces ‘splattered with blood’
Mr Anderson said: “The accused pointed the gun towards all three persons in the living room, with his finger on the trigger, whilst shouting incoherently.
“Mr Laws tried to reason with the accused but to no avail.
“The accused pointed the gun towards Tanya Laws and counted aloud: ‘one, two, three’.
“At this, Mr Laws stood up and moved towards the accused in order to wrestle him to the floor.
“The accused then struck Mr Laws on the back of the head with the gun.
“Mr Laws bled heavily and the faces of Tanya Laws and Abbie Mulholland were splattered with blood during this part of the incident.
“The accused then dropped the gun on the floor, before quickly picking it up again.
“He then repeatedly discharged the gun towards the living room floor.
The accused pointed the gun towards the females saying ‘if you tell anyone I will f***ing kill you’.”
— Prosecutor Gavin Anderson
“Mr Laws then sought to wrestle with the accused, during which time the accused struck him on the face with the gun.
“During this struggle both men moved from the living room into the hallway.
“The accused discharged the gun twice towards the wall and floor of the hallway.
“The accused and Mr Laws continued to struggle into the communal area outside the flat and then into the rear garden of the property, followed by Tanya Laws and Abbie Mulholland.
“During this time the accused continued to strike Mr Laws about the head with the gun.
“As the struggle continued, the accused pointed the gun towards the females saying ‘if you tell anyone I will f***ing kill you’.
“He then ran off.”
Gun revealed to fire blanks
Mr Anderson told temporary judge Alistair Watson the gun used in the attack was not recovered.
He said that scientists studied two cartridges which had been recovered from Mr Laws’ home.
“They were each to be found to be a fired 9mm blank cartridge case.
“Such cartridges are designed to be fired by blank firing, or gas or alarm guns.
“A person would not be expected to suffer material injury were such blanks to be fired in their presence.”
Drug dealer
Mr Anderson said police arrested Barclay at his home in Fraser Avenue, St Andrews, on November 11 2020 and found cannabis with a street value of £600.
Detectives also found £37,820 in mixed bank notes, which was being kept in a kitchen cupboard.
He pled guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis between August 2020 and November 10, 2020.
He also admitted assaulting Mr Laws two days before, to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
Mr Anderson said the Crown is planning to launch a Proceeds of Crime action against Barclay in respect of the money found in his house.
Judge Watson deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports on Barclay’s background and remanded him in custody.
Barclay will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on April 19.
