A drug user who endangered the life of an old age pensioner by stabbing him with a kitchen knife was facing jail yesterday.
Amelia McCracken, 34, plunged the five inch blade into Arnold McLean’s abdomen, narrowly missing vital organs, after pleading with him for money.
Mr McLean, who was left with blood “gushing” from a 2.5 centimetre wound, staggered onto a bus, where the quick-thinking driver called an ambulance.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard Mr McLean, 73, had earlier given McCracken – the daughter of a friend – a little money to buy food, only to be asked for more and attacked when he refused.
Kirsten Letford, prosecuting, said Mr McLean had visited McCracken’s mother in Menzieshill. Knowing they were short of money, he gave McCracken £20.
McCracken left and returned later under the influence of drugs.
She told Mr McLean: “I want money.”
Both Mr McLean and McCracken’s mother saw her pick up a purple knife from the kitchen.
Mrs Letford said: “Mr McLean left the flat and as he was walking out of the close she followed him and asked him for money again.”
When Mr McLean refused she pulled out the knife and told the elderly man she was going to kill him.
She then stabbed him, causing blood to gush from his wound, the court was told.
Mr McLean left and made his way to a bus stop and got on a bus.
Mrs Letford said: “The bus driver saw that he was unwell and Mr McLean told him he had been stabbed.”
Police were called by the driver and an ambulance took Mr McLean to hospital where he received treatment for his “complex” wound, which a scan showed had “ongoing bleeding”.
Doctors said the knife had entered his abdomen “very close to his organs,” which the fiscal said was to the danger of his life.
McCracken was arrested and told police: “Yes, I stabbed him, I’m guilty, I meant to scare him and I lost my temper.”
McCracken, of Menzieshill, Dundee, admitted assault to severe injury and danger of life. The incident happened on June 28, 2019, at McCracken’s mother’s flat in Yarrow Terrace, Menzieshill.
Defence solicitor Larry Flynn said: “The root cause of her actions that night was drugs, which clouded her judgment.”
He said he accepted the Crown’s assertion that the stab wound was to the danger of the victim’s life as it was so close to his internal organs.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown deferred sentence on McCracken until November 14 for reports, and remanded her in custody.
