A thug from Stirling faces a lengthy prison sentence for his involvement in an attempted murder with another man two days before Christmas.
Kevin Kelly and Corey Taylor were found guilty by a jury of attempting to murder a man by stabbing him in Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, on December 23 2023.
They chased victim, Craig Campbell, with knives and assaulted him to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.
A jury at the High Court in Livingston found although Kelly, 27, of Stirling, was not present when Taylor inflicted the potentially fatal stab wound he had acted “in concert” with his co-accused
The pair were also convicted of assaulting a second man by chasing him while brandishing knives during a drunken, drug-fuelled confrontation in Falkirk the same day.
Self defence claim
The attempted murder charge states Kelly had previously evinced “malice and ill will” towards Mr Campbell.
The jury heard Mr Campbell, who was drunk, had been shouting up at the accused from the street outside a house in Falkirk.
When Mr Campbell left both accused followed him to Bonnybridge, where the attack took place.
Two knives were later recovered from the property in Falkirk and DNA from all three parties was recovered.
Taylor claimed he had acted in defence of himself and his pregnant girlfriend after Mr Campbell kicked him and threatened him with a broken Buckfast bottle.
However, no broken glass was found at the scene to corroborate his version of events.
Mr Campbell, who was stabbed in the abdomen, also had injuries consistent with trying to parry away the knife.
Past crimes
Taylor, 25, from Falkirk, and Kelly – both currently in custody – are due to be sentenced by judge John Morris KC at Edinburgh High Court on July 2.
Taylor, who has been inside institutions more than he has been at liberty, was jailed for four years and three months in March 2018 after he pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and danger of life after attacking a man with a hammer.
In 2021 he was jailed for assaulting a woman by grabbing her by the throat, leaving his victim fearing for her life.
In April 2023 he was put on a curfew for assaulting police.
Kelly also had a criminal record, the court heard.
In 2023 he was jailed for a year-and-half for setting fire to a man’s clothing and another male’s rucksack in Stirling.
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