A violent prisoner from Dundee who cut the throat of another inmate during a football game behind bars, before making a phone call saying “don’t expect me home soon”.
John Etchells, 31, slashed his victim in the neck in an exercise yard at Edinburgh’s Saughton jail, before telling prison officers: “I’ll not be threatened by any rodent.”
Etchells, who has a history of violence inside and outside the prison system, later said in a call: “I tried to kill the boy too but didn’t get it.”
He is currently on an Order for Lifelong Restriction and a judge ordered his latest sentence on five-and-a-half years should begin from May 6 2028, which is the earliest date he could apply for parole under the indeterminate sentence.
Etchells, who is currently in HMP Grampian, admitted attempting to murder Connor Steele, 24, at the prison on June 1 last year after approaching him from behind and striking him on the neck with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life.
He also pled guilty to the unlawful possession of a knife.
Cut con’s throat
Advocate depute Leanne Cross told judge Lord Stuart: “The accused has several pages of previous convictions, many of which involve serious violence.”
His convictions include offences of attempted murder, serious assault and weapon possession.
She said prior to the attack on Steele, he was playing football in the yard and Etchells was standing at benches outside the yard.
“While the complainer was still playing football, the accused entered the exercise yard and approached the complainer from behind.
“The accused removed an item from his pocket.
“He then cut the complainer’s throat from left to right before backing away towards the rear of the exercise yard.”
Tried to hide blade
Steele was seen holding his neck and shouting he had been slashed.
Officers saw his neck quickly become covered in blood.
Help was immediately sought and one of the officers saw Etchells place what he believed was a knife down his trousers.
The thug claimed that he had “chucked” the knife but then suggested he had hidden it internally.
He later handed over a ceramic blade, which was broken into pieces.
Prison officers applied pressure to the wound sustained by Steele and he was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was found to have suffered significant blood loss and a cut from the middle of his neck to the right ear.
A consultant said the injury posed a real danger to life due to blood loss.
Police investigating the attack seized a recording of a phone call made by Etchells, in which he said: “Don’t expect me home soon. I’m up for slaying somebody’s throat again.”
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