Blade thug left victim fighting for life after knifing him in stomach

Brute faces jail for attacking man following row at party

A brute left a man fighting for his life after butchering him with a military- style combat knife.

Callum Smith, 20, plunged the “black serrated army knife” into victim Kieran Gemmell, leaving him with horrific injuries to the left side of his abdomen in a savage attack.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Smith, of Gallowhill, attacked Mr Gemmell at Houston Street, Renfrew, on the morning of June 24 last year, following a bust-up at a boozy house party.

Procurator fiscal depute David McDonald said Mr Gemmell attended the party, where it emerged he was in possession of a blade.

Other guests were concerned by the victim’s behaviour. He became loud and aggressive towards witnesses, including girls who left the flat to get away from him.

The prosecutor said Mr Gemmell left the flat and went into the street, where he grabbed a chair that had been left outside for rubbish collection.

He said: “He started shouting and swearing and trying to smash the chair against the ground, bringing him to the attention of other residents.

“He made several unsuccessful attempts to get back in to the close.

“At which point other witnesses shouted at him to come back outside.

“Shortly after, two other males went outside.

“One of the males, now known to be the accused Smith, was telling Gemmell to leave the other male alone.

“At this point Mr Gemmell saw that Smith was holding a black serrated army-style knife, which he then used to stab him on the left side of the body.”

The victim made his way back to the property, where police and the ambulance service were called.

Cops later arrested Smith and he told officers girls at the party told him they had been threatened by Mr Gemmell.

The fiscal added: “The accused said he went into the street with the intention of confronting this male, Mr Gemmell, because of his behaviour.”

The court heard the victim was left with a puncture wound to the left side of his abdomen, eight to ten inches long.

He was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, for life-saving surgery.

The prosecutor added: “Had he not received medical intervention, there is a high probability that he would have succumbed to his injuries.”

He appeared in the dock before Sheriff Colin Pettigrew and pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Gemmell by stabbing him to his severe injury and endangering his life.

He also pleaded not guilty to possession of an offensive weapon, namely a knife, in a public place without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

Defence agent Bob Mitchell said he was reserving his submission in defence of his client until after the court obtained background reports in preparation for sentencing him.

He asked the court to take into account the young age of his client, that he has no previous convictions.

The lawyer also said Smith had pleaded guilty to the charge at an early stage.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew deferred sentencing him until June 11.

He told him: “It is very likely this will result in a custodial disposal.”

He had a black serrated army-style knife, which he then used to stab him on the left side of the body