A woman whose ex-boyfriend was jailed for a fatal knife attack has been convicted of slashing a man with a handmade razor weapon at her Perth home.
Shannon Beattie attacked pal Daniel Black, slicing his face and neck, after he told her: “You get people murdered.”
Beattie was a key witness at the trial of her former partner Robbie Smullen who stabbed 22-year-old Barry Dixon to death in her then-flat in the city’s Wallace Court in 2019.
Smullen was charged with murder but an Edinburgh jury found him guilty of culpable homicide. He was jailed for nine years.
This week Beattie, who told Smullen’s trial how she had witnessed the killing, found herself back in a courtroom accused of a violent assault herself.
The 29-year-old denied allegations she attacked Mr Black with an improvised weapon – a razor blade melted into a toothbrush – at her Tulloch Square home in February 2024, leaving him injured and permanently disfigured.
The court heard how there was an altercation after the pair argued about Mr Dixon’s death.
After a day of evidence, a jury at Perth Sheriff Court took just under 90 minutes to find Beattie guilty by majority.
Co-accused James Hume was sentenced to five months after he was caught leaving Ms Beattie’s flat with a packet of disposable razors.
Cuts to face and neck
Mr Black refused to make a formal police statement and did not give evidence at the trial but jurors were told he spoke to police shortly after the attack, telling them he had been in a fight with Beattie.
Police sergeant James Marshall said officers were called to reports of a “slashing” at Tulloch Square at about 3am on February 11 2024.
When he arrived, he saw Beattie and Hume coming out of a communal close.
The court heard she had a cut to her face and her hand.
Both were searched and police recovered a box of five razors from Hume’s jacket pocket.
Sgt Marshall went to visit Mr Black at his home, about a minute’s walk away.
“He had quite a substantial 10cm scar, which appeared recent, to the side of his face,” he said.
Mr Black also had a cut on his neck.
“He was agitated,” Sgt Marshall said.
“He was pacing back and forth, quite upset. He was crying at one point.”
Jurors heard Mr Black was holding a blood-soaked towel to his face.
Sgt Marshall said Mr Black told him: “Shannon Beattie done this to me.”
The officer said: “He explained he had been slashed on the face by an amended weapon, like a toothbrush with a razor attacked.
“He said it had just happened at Shannon Beattie’s flat.”
The court heard Mr Black told police Beattie had cut herself and said she would blame it on him.
Blood inside flat
Beattie gave police the key to her flat.
Inside they found blood spatter leading up to the front door, with a pool of blood in the hallway.
Giving evidence at her trial, Beattie tried to persuade jurors it was her blood.
She said she remembered blood “spurting” from a finger but could not remember what had caused the injury.
She said she had known Mr Black since school and he was “like a brother” to her.
He was one of about nine people who were there that night for drinks.
Beattie, who said she was on Valium and drinking wine, told the court she got into an argument with Mr Black.
Asked by prosecutor Stephanie Paterson what the row was about, she said: “My ex-partner was in prison for murdering his best friend six years ago.
“He (Mr Black) was going on about how Robbie had murdered Barry and how I got people murdered.”
She denied having a handmade razor. “I don’t even have a knife block in my house since my ex-partner murdered someone six years ago.”
Beattie told the trial she remembered Mr Black being put out of her flat by two male guests, including Hume.
“I don’t know what happened behind that door once it closed,” she said.
Beattie said she could not explain why Mr Black would blame her for his injuries.
‘Lasting emotional impact’ on victim
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC deferred sentence on Beattie for background reports.
“You have been found guilty of assaulting a man you described as like a brother,” she said.
“He should have been able to visit your house without sustaining slashing injuries to his face and neck.
“He will doubtless suffer a lasting emotional impact.”
Beattie, who has three previous convictions for assault, was allowed to remain on bail but the sheriff said: “Please don’t take that as any indication of what the final sentence will be.”
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