Knife thug never knew victim Brute jailed for random attack

A dad-of-three who carried out a violent unprovoked knife attack on a stranger while out on licence was last week jailed for six years.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Gary Howieson told police when he was arrested: “A guy in Blantyre got his throat slit on Sunday. That was me. I chopped his ear aff..”

Howieson (28) admitted repeatedly striking James Slaven on the head and body with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement on March 5 last year in Main Street, High Blantyre.

Judge Lord Mulholland told Howieson that his comments “showed a casual attitude to violence”.

The judge said: “The public need to be protected from you. You will be sentenced for your thuggish behaviour.”

Lord Mulholland ordered Howieson to be kept on licence for three years after his release from prison.

Prosecutor Blair Speed told the court that at 9.40pm, police found 25-year-old Mr Slaven sitting in Main Street with blood pouring from a wound to the back of his head. He also had a number of slash marks on his jacket and a cut to his right ear.

When Howieson was detained by police on March 11, he told them: “A guy in Blantyre got his throat slit on Sunday. That was me. I chopped his ear aff. Get me Cambuslang CID. They’re looking for me.”

Mr Speed said that police checked the crime management system and identified the attack on Mr Slaven, who suffered a wound to the base of his head which needed staples and sutures and a wound to his right ear which required seven stitches.

Howieson was originally charged with assault to danger of life but the Crown accepted a plea to the reduced charge.

He has previous convictions for assault and attempted robbery and possession of a knife.

Defence counsel Allan Macleod said: “My client has drink and drugs problems and is determined to address these issues.”