A former manager at a Kinross hotel who stabbed a chef six times with an eight-inch kitchen knife has been sent to prison for 15 months.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Scott Lowe (43), of Churchill Road, Kinross, attacked Christiaan Opperman on a staff night out.
The pair were part of a larger group and had drunk together for a number of hours before the altercation. Lowe had been the duty manager of The Green Hotel in Kinross at the time and got into a drunken brawl with Mr Opperman.
Mr Opperman suffered two stab wounds to his upper body, a stab wound to both his shoulder and elbow and two superficial lacerations to his legs as a result of the attack.
He was taken to hospital to receive stitches but was released after treatment.
The court heard that Lowe and another colleague left the bar at midnight to go to a party but, having spotted the complainer, the accused armed himself with an eight-inch kitchen knife.
Depute fiscal Charmaine Cole said: ”The accused put the knife in his back pocket and continued to the party, but was then approached by the complainer who was aggressive.
”The complainer ran towards the accused and punched him in the face and they then began fighting. In the course of the fight the accused used the knife and the complainer sustained a total of six wounds.”
Mr Opperman was taken to hospital but released following medical treatment.
Lowe handed himself over to police. When interviewed by officers he said: ”He came for me first.”
On Wednesday, he admitted that on April 29 2011 at the courtyard to the rear of The Green Hotel, The Muirs, he assaulted Mr Opperman by repeatedly stabbing him on the body all to his severe injury.
He also admitted a separate charge that on December 15 at Blockbusters, High Street, Kinross, he broke a window by throwing an object at it.
Solicitor Jamie Baxter said his client was ”horrified” that he had been involved in the incident and deeply regretted his actions. He told the court Lowe had worked at the hotel for more than 13 years and had attempted suicide on three occasions.
Mr Baxter said: ”There was considerable provocation regarding the assault. He is very thankful that the injuries sustained by the complainer were not too serious.
”He is in no doubt of the seriousness of the matter and knows that custody is an option.
”At the time, my client was in a poor condition mentally. He attempted suicide three times and had periods in Murray Royal Hospital in Perth.”
He added that Lowe had lost his job but found employment at a St Andrews resort.
Sentencing Lowe, Sheriff Michael Fletcher told him: ”This is an extremely serious offence where you deliberately armed yourself with a knife. The courts have repeatedly said that persons that carry knives are placing themselves in a serious situation.”
He added: ”You stabbed this man six times. Fortunately for you and the victim the wounds were not as serious as they might have been.”
Sheriff Fletcher said: ”Using a knife like this leaves little room for manoeuvre and there is no other way to deal with this other than a custodial sentence.”
Lowe was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He was admonished on the other charge.