Three appear on attempted murder charge

Three men accused of carrying out a brutal knife attack in Perth city centre are alleged to have changed their appearances before trying to flee to France.

Rikki Millar was rushed to hospital after an alleged murder attempt in South Street during the early hours of Sunday.

Police investigators shut down the area for several hours amid claims that Mr Millar was stabbed in the eye.

Three men appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday accused of attempting to murder the 35-year-old.

Fernando Dos Santos, 21, Andrea Placinta, 22, and Ruben Correia, 23, face allegations they attempted to murder Mr Millar by repeatedly striking him with a knife to his head and body, to the danger of his life, leaving him severely injured and permanently disfigured and impaired.

The three men – Portuguese and Romanian nationals – are further accused of trying to to pervert the course of justice by changing their clothing, instructing someone to dispose of their clothes and a knife, changing their appearance and then travelling by bus from Dundee to Northampton, with the intention of reaching London and on to France.

It is alleged they did this in an effort to avoid detection and conceal evidence linking them with the attempted murder.

The men, from Perth, made no plea during the brief, private hearing before Sheriff William Wood. They were remanded in custody and are due to make a second appearance at the same court next week.

The South Street area was cordoned off for about 12 hours at the weekend while forensic officers carried out a meticulous search of the area.

Police also trawled through hours of CCTV footage from nearby businesses and carried out door-to-door inquiries.

Perth’s South Street was cordoned off while forensic officers examined the area after a brutal knife attack.