Boy was stabbed after drink and drugs binge

Schoolboy who attacked fellow pupil told he could be facing custody

A schoolboy who scarred another pupil for life by stabbing him in the face after downing a cocktail of drink and drugs has been told he could be incarcerated.

The boy, too young to be named publicly, drank half a litre of vodka, three cans of an ultra-strong, caffeine filled alcopop called Dragon Soop and took two ecstasy tablets before stabbing his victim twice in the face with a knife.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that the boy, who is now 16, attacked his victim after falling out with him during the illicit under-age drinking session.

Before pulling the knife from his waistband, the youngster told his fellow pupil: “Come outside and I’ll sort you out. Come outside and I’ll slash you.”

The victim, who was also 15 at the time of the attack, has been told by medics that his facial wounds will never entirely heal and he will be left permanently disfigured.

The attacker, who is from Perth and attended a city secondary school until being excluded upon his arrest, has already been ordered to attend the Right Track programme for young offenders.

That does not preclude the court from imposing a custodial sentence in a young offenders’ institution at a later date.

During a brief appearance at court yesterday, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis – who has compared the case to the killing of Cults Academy pupil Bailey Gwynne – told the boy that remained a possibility.

He delivered the warning after hearing the accused is facing trial on further criminal charges, with a case due to call at the court in September.

Sheriff Foulis said: “No matter how well you are doing on the Right Track programme, this is not a glowing report.

“To have further allegations looming on the horizon is not a good sign.

“In the report prepared for the court it says that you are extremely anxious about spending a period of time in a young offenders’ institution.

“That fact that you are on Right Track does not mean that will not be visited upon you. That may still happen.”

The accused admitted assaulting a 15-year-old boy at an address in Perth on October 1 by striking him twice on the face with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

He will return for sentencing on October 4. mmackay@thecourier.co.uk