Boiling water horror attack

Assault sentence deferred on victim

A Cambusbarron man spent almost a month in hospital following a“horrific attack”with boiling water.

Stirling Sheriff Court was told of the attack on Wednesday when the victim, accused Stephen McInnes, appeared for sentence on a charge of assaulting a police officer while on bail on another matter.

The 26-year-old had struck the officer on the head with his elbow at the accused’s Wallace Place home on August 11, 2018.

McInnes’ agent Greig Cunningham told Sheriff William Gilchrist his client was currently subject to a two-year community payback order which was due to expire on April 17, 2020.

Since McInnes’ last court appearance at the end of August, Mr Cunningham said his client had undergone a residential period of detox the following month.

That, he added, had been on of the “driving forces” of deferring sentence for a social work report on the police assault charge.

The detox, said Mr Cunningham, had been “very much needed.”

Mr Cunningham also pointed out that in October McInnes was subjected to “a horrific attack with boiling water” and between October 13 and November 4 was in Forth Valley Hospital and the burns unit in Livingston.

Since November 4 however McInnes had abstained from alcohol and drugs. These events had been described by the lawyer as “life changing”.

There was only one outstanding matter before the court, Mr Cunningham added.

Sheriff Gilchrist deferred sentence on McInnes for a further three months for a supplementary criminal justice social work report and for him to be of good behaviour – as well as continuing to engage with the existing Community Payback Order, the community mental health team and the Community Alcohol and Drugs Service (CADS).

He told McInnes: “The report indicates your engagement with the CPO has been sporadic, but there has been change – particularly as a result of your hospitalisation.

“I hope that will continue.”