A schoolboy was left scarred for life following a horrific Halloween scissor attack in Perth.
The 15-year-old was rushed to hospital after the stabbing, which was witnessed by other children on the city’s Moncrieffe Island.
On the same evening, Reece Duncan attacked two other 15-year-olds and threatened others while claiming he was armed with a knife.
The 18-year-old, who was 16 at the time, has appeared in court and admitted the assaults and will be sentenced next month.
Three assaults
The teenager pled guilty to – while acting with others – assaulting a younger boy at the River Tay island on October 31 2020.
He repeatedly punched him around the head and body and struggled with him, causing the boy to fall to the ground.
Duncan then bit his victim and repeatedly struck him with a pair of scissors – or similar bladed weapon – to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
The former Perth Grammar School pupil further admitted assaulting a different 15-year-old by repeatedly striking him on the face.
He attacked another boy, also 15, in a similar manner.
Attempted robbery allegation
Duncan also pled guilty to a charge that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm, by shouting, swearing and utter threats of violence to one of his assault victims and two 15-year-old girls, telling them he had a knife.
During the brief hearing at Perth Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Michael Dunlop accepted not guilty pleas to allegations Duncan had attempted to rob three teenagers on the nearby railway bridge by stating he had a knife, refusing to let them past and demanding they hand over alcohol.
Duncan was also cleared of charges he made “sexually violent remarks”.
Part of the charge which alleged he had stabbed his victim “to the danger of his life” was also withdrawn.
Sheriff David Hall deferred sentence for background reports.
Duncan, of Scott Street, Perth, was released on bail.
The details of the incident were not read out in court but it was reported the teenage victim was rushed to Ninewells Hospital after being stabbed in the leg.
Police Scotland described the assault as “serious but non-life threatening”.
A witness told The Courier at the time a group of older teenagers were attacking one boy when the 15-year-old had stepped in to break them up.
The attack happened at around 8.20pm.
Mum and son in the dock
In January, Duncan appeared at the same court alongside his mother following a scrap with police.
Constable Andrew Beattie was repeatedly punched in the head when he tried to stop Duncan from jumping out of a window during a Valium-fuelled outburst at the family’s Leslie Court home.
Mum and son admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, while Burnett admitted assaulting the police officer.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane berated the pair when they entered the dock.
Noting the mum was using her mobile phone and Duncan was carrying a juice bottle, he told them: “This is not a café, you know.”
Children’s panel
In February 2020, when he was 15, Duncan became the youngest person to be prosecuted under recent legislation aimed at targeting psychological bullying in domestic relationships.
A sheriff threw out the charge, claiming the courts would be “awash with schoolchildren” and passed the case back to the children’s panel.
He was however found guilty of smashing a window and kicking a door, as well as having cannabis.
