A jailed predator from Fife who slashed a “sexual fiend” in the showers of a top security Scottish prison has been jailed for a further two years.
James Paterson, who tried to murder three pregnant women, raping two of them, and assaulted a newborn baby, hacked at the face of triple-rapist John Macintosh in Glenochil Prison, Clackmannanshire, leaving him permanently disfigured.
Paterson, of Cardenden, was given a life sentence in 2012 for a string of attacks on women in Edinburgh and Fife.
He was said to have jumped on one woman’s “baby bump” as if it were a trampoline.
Macintosh was given a discretionary life term in 2014 – reduced on appeal – for attempting to rape a young girl and raping three women in northern Scotland.
A judge branded him “a sexual fiend who targeted vulnerable females in order to gratify his carnal lust”.
Attacked from behind
Stirling Sheriff Court heard at the time of the slashing, on December 12 last year, both were still serving sentences at the jail, near Alloa.
Paterson had recently been refused parole.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith said: “They were both in the recreation area and at about 9am.
“Macintosh went for a shower and Paterson followed him.
“Just after he entered the cubicle, Paterson grabbed him by the face from behind, which caused him to turn and face him.
“Paterson then proceeded to strike Macintosh to his face with a razor blade.”
Staff rushed to the showers and removed Paterson.
Paramedics were called and took Macintosh to the Forth Valley Royal Hospital, where he was found to have a four-inch wound on the left hand side of his face, which needed stitches.
A five-inch wound on the right side of his face was closed with steri-strips.
He also had a smaller wound below his right eye.
‘Threats’ lead to assault
Paterson, 34, appearing by video link from the prison, pled guilty to assaulting Macintosh, 54, to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Solicitor Umar Hussain, defending, said on the day of the incident, Macintosh had walked past Paterson’s cell “making threats”.
Mr Hussain said: “Mr Paterson lost his head.
“He felt he was being put under pressure and followed him and acted in the way that has been described.”
Sheriff Keith O’Mahony said: “An assault with a bladed article is always a serious matter, especially where it results in permanent disfigurement.”
