Hold up in court case of knifeman

A knifeman who left a reveller fighting for his life in a savage attack has had his sentencing delayed.

Callum Smith, 20, plunged the “black serrated army knife” into Kieran Gemmell, leaving him with a gaping wound in his stomach.

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.

And, were it not for the speedy attention of medics at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, it is likely Mr Gemmell would have died because his injuries were so severe.

Smith appeared in the dock for sentencing before Sheriff Mark Thorley after pleading guilty to a charge of assaulting Mr Gemmell by stabbing him to his severe injury and endangering his life.

However, the court heard he could not be sentenced this week because background reports were incomplete.

Defence agent Paul Lynch also explained Smith’s lawyer Bob Mitchell was occupied with High Court business, and he urged Sheriff Thorley to continue the case for three weeks.

He said: “I would ask your Lordship to further defer this matter as my colleague Mr Mitchell, who has been dealing with this case, is engaged in High Court business.

“Another matter is the Criminal Justice Social Work Report does not have several alternatives to custody.

“These do not seem to have been explored by the author of the report.

“He accepts that this is a very serious matter, but I think it is important that alternatives to custody be properly included and placed before the court.”

Sheriff Thorley agreed with the lawyer.

He told Smith: “The report perhaps lacks in certain parts, so I will continue the matter and defer sentencing for three weeks.”

Smith, who has no previous convictions, will discover his fate on July 2.

The court previously heard Mr Gemmell 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.

Prosecutor David McDonald said: “Had he not received medical intervention, there is a high probability that he would have succumbed to his injuries.”