Man’s finger was flushed down toilet

AN ATTACK VICTIM had part of a finger sliced off and flushed down the toilet during a vicious assault by an intruder in Fife.

Stephen Gilmartin barged his way into the home of James Grieve, armed with a homemade weapon and began repeatedly striking him with it.

Advocate depute Pino Di Emidio told the High Court in Edinburgh that the pole-like weapon had a blade taped to the end.

The prosecutor said: “This weapon is described as an old-fashioned lopper by witnesses.”

He said Gilmartin (40), of Bower Park, Cupar, swung the weapon towards his victim and the blade struck him on the left side of the head.

“The victim put his arms up to defend himself before he was repeatedly struck on the head,” Mr Di Emidio said.

He curled into a ball on the floor of a bedroom at his home on Alexander Road, Glenrothes, as the attack on him continued.

“The accused proceeded to strike him on the legs with the bladed instrument about 10 times,” the prosecutor said.

“Throughout the attack the victim could be heard screaming and shouting.

“After some time the accused realised that in the course of the assault he had sliced off part of the victim’s finger.

“The accused shout ‘just grab the toilet’.”

Mr Di Emidio told the court that, while it was unclear who actually flushed the partially severed finger away, the accused Gilmartin instructed it to be done.

The court heard that on the day of the attack Mr Grieve (35) had been at home with Sara Ferguson and she answered the door to find Gilmartin there with his partner Kimberley Petrie (30) and another man Scott West (41).

Gilmartin pushed his way into the house before going upstairs and launching the attack.

Gilmartin, Petrie and West all originally faced a charge of attempting to murder Mr Grieve after the assault on April 12.

But the Crown amended the charge to one of assaulting him to his severe injury, permanent impairment and disfigurement by repeatedly striking him with the weapon and cutting off part of his finger and disposing of the severed part which Gilmartin admitted.

Petrie and West were acquitted after the Crown accepted their not-guilty pleas to the charge.

The judge, Lord Turnbull, deferred sentence on Gilmartin until next month for the preparation of a background report.

Gilmartin was remanded in custody. was then heard to it and flush it down