OAP knifed pal at his 75th party

‘I have stabbed wee Jamesy twice . . .’

A pensioner admitted repeatedly stabbing his 60-year-old friend with a kitchen knife after violence flared at his 75th birthday party.

Robert Wotherspoon had been celebrating his milestone birthday with pal James Cunningham when he snapped.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court last week, Wotherspoon admitted repeatedly stabbing James Edward Cunningham with a knife to his severe injury at his home in Forgewood Road, Motherwell, on November 26 last year.

The friends had been drinking in Wotherspoon’s house and the evening had passed without incident.

But when Wotherspoon called last orders Cunningham, who had been a long-time friend, refused to budge and stayed sitting on a couch.

This led to him seizing an eight-inch blade and plunging the weapon into Cunningham’s left collarbone.

He then stabbed him in the armpit causing him to bleed heavily.

Panicking Wotherspoon phoned an ambulance which raced to the scene and whisked Cunningham to Wishaw General Hospital.

First offender Wotherspoon told police officers he had stabbed ‘wee Jamesy twice’ and was arrested.

He has appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted repeatedly stabbing Cunningham to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement in November last year.

Cunningham was left with a 5cm wound to his collarbone as well as a 3cm wound to his armpit and will be scarred for life.

An X-ray showed the armpit injury had also led to a partially collapsed lung.

When questioned by police, Wotherspoon told officers: “I have stabbed wee Jamesy twice” and he was detained

Sheriff Ray Small deferred sentence for reports, but warned Wotherspoon he faced jail.

An allegation Cunningham was injured to the danger of his life was dropped by The Crown.

When Wotherspoon called last orders Cunningham refused to budge