A man who slashed a former friend’s neck in the middle of the street in Methil could be jailed.
Stewart Stoddard, 42, pled guilty to a charge of slashing Robert Muirhead’s neck on May 14 last year, leaving him injured and permanently disfigured.
After carrying out the mid-morning assault, Stoddard told his former pal: “Next time it’ll be your jugular.”
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court the Crown dropped part of the allegation that the injury suffered by Mr Muirhead was “severe”.
‘I’m going to kill you’
Fiscal depute Ronnie Hay said: “The accused and the complainer were previously friends.
“They had a falling out in March 2020.
“At 10.30am on May 14 2021, the complainer was on Whyterose Terrace in Methil.
Stoddard confronted Mr Muirhead and made a comment about him telling others he was a sex offender.
Mr Hay said: “The accused stated: ‘I’m going to kill you’.”
He said Stoddard swung his right hand towards Mr Muirhead, who felt “a scratch.”
After striking him with the knife, Stoddard said: “Next time, that’ll be your jugular.”
The knife was described as being “a couple of inches” long.
Penknife, not craft knife
Mr Muirhead had to ask a passer-by to contact police and paramedics.
He was left with a laceration to the back of his neck, which measured around four to five centimetres long but he did not attend hospital.
Stoddard admitted assaulting Mr Muirhead by threatening to kill him and striking him on the neck with a knife.
Defending, solicitor David McLaughlin said: “The only thing he brings up is the size of the blade.
“This was a penknife rather than what was first described as being a craft knife.
“It’s a very serious charge.
“Mr Stoddard understands that custody will be at the forefront of the court’s mind.”
Agreeing, Sheriff James Williamson deferred sentence for a social work report and restriction of liberty order assessment.
Stoddard, of Menzies Road in Aberdeen, is due back in court in four weeks.
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