A woman who chased a man down a Fife street and twice stabbed him after accusing him of stealing her DWP money and “trying it on” has been jailed.
Kelly Horne left Craig Easson with a 2cm stab wound to his left side and 1cm wound to his left buttock during the attack in Kirkcaldy, which was captured on CCTV and played in court.
Mr Easson had jumped out a window and fled down the street after being accused of stealing money.
Horne, 33, of Alford Avenue in Kirkcaldy, previously pled guilty to the charge of pursuing Mr Easson and repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife to his injury.
An accomplice, Benjamin King, 32, admitted assaulting Mr Easson by pursuing him and bringing him to the ground during the same attack on March 4 2020.
Court papers state the incident took place in Alford Avenue and Beauly Place.
Horne and King appeared together in the dock for sentencing this week.
Sheriff James Williamson said at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “I think I have made it clear (previously), your behaviour in the street was outrageous.
“Having looked at the report, I have thought long and hard about a non-custodial sentence but I’m afraid I cannot (do this).”
The sheriff, who had also described Horne’s actions as “appalling”, jailed her for 18 months.
Horne became tearful as she was led away from the dock in handcuffs.
Woman felt ‘betrayed’
Horne’s defence lawyer, Ross Bennett, had told the court his client felt “somewhat betrayed” by Mr Easson, who had been staying with her and her partner for a couple of days prior to the incident.
The solicitor told the court in March an altercation took place between Mr Easson and co-accused King, which left the complainer with a “bloodied head”.
Mr Bennett said Horne then took him into the bathroom and tended to minor cuts and during that process when the door was closed, she claims he twice “made a pass” at her.
The lawyer said a short time later, Horne discovered money she was keeping in her purse – a grant received from DWP – had disappeared.
Mr Bennett said his client was “certain” Mr Easson had taken her money.
The solicitor said: “At this point Mr Easson was having a cigarette at the window and jumped out and was pursued by my client and the co-accused.
“My client was livid firstly, with him trying it on and, secondly, the fact that he had – according to her – stolen money when he had been living with her rent free.”
Accomplice given community service
The court heard Horne has a criminal record but her lawyer stressed she had not offended since 2019, other than one case of shoplifting at an Asda store.
Mr Bennett acknowledged using a knife is serious but stressed in this case the injuries were “not particularly significant”.
King’s defence solicitor, Kerr Sneddon, said previously his client gave chase and “sort of rugby tackled him to the ground and held him and did not know anything about the knife”.
King was sentenced to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order.
