Friend struck with meat cleaver in cigarette row

Sep 15 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A 21-YEAR-OLD Perth man attacked his pal with a six-inch long meat cleaver, scarring him for life, after a marathon drinking session erupted in violence.

During an argument over who should pay for cigarettes, Scott McLean, of Uist Place, North Muirton, took the weapon from the kitchen and struck Christopher Fergusson on the head as he tried to flee from the house.

But he only got as far as Dunkeld Road, before he collapsed, Perth Sheriff Court was told yesterday.

McLean, who had been freed early from a previous 14-month sentence and was on home curfew, then callously used his friend’s bank card to steal £90 from his account.

He used some of the cash to buy cigarettes, the court heard.

McLean was jailed for three years after Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told him he hadn’t apparently learned an earlier lesson when he had been convicted of breach of the peace and carrying a knife.

The Sheriff added: “In order to protect the public from serious harm, you will be made subject to a 12-month supervised release order.”

As part of that, he will have to undergo alcohol counselling.

The accused’s girlfriend, who is expecting their child on December 1, sobbed uncontrollably in the public benches as he was led away in handcuffs to begin his sentence.

McLean pled guilty to the meat cleaver attack which took place in his parents’ home in Uist Place on September 29 last year.

He also admitted stealing £90 from the victim’s account by using his bank card and PIN number at the BP Service Station at The Triangle, Dunkeld Road.

A not guilty plea to a third charge of placing a knife at Mr Fergusson’s throat and robbing him of a bank card and mobile phone was accepted by the prosecution.

Depute fiscal Robbie Brown said that the pair were friends and had been drinking together over a long period of time.

An argument developed shortly after midnight when the accused took Mr Fergusson’s mobile phone and bank card.

Mr Fergusson was taken to hospital with a one-inch long cut to his head. It was cleaned and glued.

Solicitor Linda Clark asked that her client be considered for community service.

Both had been drinking throughout the day and fortunately the injury inflicted wasn’t as “significant” as it might have been.

The incident arose though his consumption of alcohol but he had learned his lesson and had now stopped.

Sheriff Foulis said: “Thankfully, as far as the injury is concerned, it is not the most serious.

“But I suspect that is more by luck than design.”