A court has heard an Angus flat became a house of horror following a bloody assault which left a man requiring 44 stitches.
Appearing from custody at Arbroath Sheriff Court on Monday, John Paul McDevitt (40), a prisoner at Perth, was jailed for 28 months by Sheriff Peter Paterson.
McDevitt, who initially appeared from custody on petition in relation to the brutal attack, admitted an indictment that on March 17 at Dishlandtown Street he assaulted Kevin Falconer and repeatedly struck him on the head and face with a tin can and a pair of scissors to his injury and permanent disfigurement.
Mr Falconer suffered numerous lacerations and abrasions to the forehead, scalp, eyebrow and cheeks and also sustained a rip to the upper part of his right ear.
Depute fiscal Arlene Shaw said the men knew each other because Mr Falconer was the former partner of McDevitt’s girlfriend’s sister. Mr Falconer was at home drinking cider during the day and McDevritt turned up after 8pm to join him.
Around 10pm, Mr Falconer’s former partner received a phone call from McDevitt but he refused to say who he was.
Ms Shaw said: ”The accused told her he had slashed him to bits, there was blood all over the walls and that Mr Falconer was in a bad way.”
McDevitt told Mr Falconer’s ex-partner she should come over to ”help clean up”. She called the police but they could not get an answer at the flat.
Ms Shaw said: ”They could see blood-staining on the walls through the letterbox. Eventually Mr Falconer opened the door and police saw he was bleeding heavily and had numerous injuries to the head and face.
”The hall, bedroom and livingroom walls were covered in blood and there was a large pool of blood on the couch where Mr Falconer had been seated.
“The accused was traced sleeping in the bedroom. He was woken up and his clothing and footwear was covered in blood.”
Police found a can that appeared to have been used in the assault. When Mr Falconer returned from hospital he found blood-stained scissors down the back of the couch.
Defence agent Kenny Clark said McDevitt’s position was that Mr Falconer had been trying to antagonise him and struck him with an aerosol can as he was trying to leave. He said: ”That was the last straw for him and he assaulted him in the manner described.”
Sheriff Paterson said McDevitt had previous convictions for violence and that jail was the only option. Sentence was backdated to March 19.