Stab thug is behind bars

A thug who stabbed a man and a woman in a dispute over drugs has been jailed for four years.

Kenneth Mcmahon, 49, will be supervised for two years on his release from prison.

A jury at Hamilton Sheriff Court, pictured, found him guilty of stabbing his two victims at a close in Donaldson Street, Hamilton, on December 15, 2019.

Former boxing champion Victoria Glover, 23, was cleared of involvement in the knife attack on the woman but found guilty of punching her.

Both victims suffered leg wounds and required stitches.

Mcmahon, of Bute Street, Hamilton, claimed he went to Donaldson Street to pick someone up and found the male already injured.

He said the man had Glover by the hair and was holding her down.

Giving evidence, the woman said Mcmahon held a knife to her face, ordered her to let go of the other woman and threatened to “put the knife through her face” if she didn’t comply.

She didn’t realise at first that she’d been stabbed.

Mcmahon denied using a knife and also claimed he was unaware of the two victims being involved in a drug dispute.

However, prosecutor Chloe O’hara told him: “You were aware of that dispute and the reason you were there was to sort it out.”

Defence agent Elspeth Forrest said

Mcmahon’s life has been “bedevilled by drug addiction” which has resulted in a “significant” criminal record.

She added: “He has been working with an addiction counsellor and will use his time in custody to continue to move off drugs and take advantage of any support.”

Glover, of Braeside Place, Cambuslang, boxed for Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Her lawyer, Neal Mcshane, said she has had difficulties in her life and it’s suspected she is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Andrew Mcintyre told Mcmahon: “These were very serious assaults aggravated by their unprovoked nature and your use of a knife that caused considerable harm.

“Your record is serious and you have a number of similar convictions though I take into account that these were all some time ago.”

Glover was given a five-month electronic tagging order that confines her to her home between 7pm and 7am each day.