A man who left his victim with a “horrific and gruesome” neck wound after launching an unprovoked knife attack on him in a Dundee supermarket car park is behind bars.
Edward Ward, goaded by his fiancee Chelsea Malone, slashed Daniel Murphy with a Stanley knife outside Tesco Extra in Kingsway West in August.
Ward claimed he was acting in self-defence and the gaping 3cm wound inflicted on Mr Murphy had been caused by his ring.
But a jury took just over 75 minutes to find the 29-year-old, who has previous convictions for violence and possession of a weapon, unanimously guilty of assault to severe injury.
Malone, 23, who spent a night in the cells after failing to turn up on time for the trial on Monday, was convicted of threatening violence towards Mr Murphy.
The jury at Dundee Sheriff Court was shown graphic photographs of the injury to Mr Murphy’s neck following the attack.
The trial heard Mr Murphy was not known to either Ward or Malone when an argument broke out in the supermarket car park.
After Mr Murphy swore at Malone, she told her fiancee: “You gonna let him speak to me like that?”
Ward then struck Mr Murphy, who initially thought he had been punched, before realising he had been stabbed and exclaiming: “He’s got a Stanley.”
Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson told the jury in her closing speech: “You saw Mr Murphy with your own eyes. If that was not a person telling the truth, then quite frankly that young man deserves an Oscar.
“The way he acted throughout his evidence was entirely consistent with a young man who was utterly, utterly terrified.
“Edward Ward claims he punched Daniel Murphy once in self-defence. He claims no knife was used, and claims the injury must have been caused by a ring on his finger.
“Utter, utter nonsense. This was an assault with a knife which left Daniel with a horrific and gruesome injury.”
Ward, a prisoner at Perth was found guilty of striking Daniel Murphy with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement at Tesco Extra car park, Kingsway West, on August 15.
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro deferred sentence on both accused until January 12 and remanded Ward in custody.