A man who was allegedly slashed by a punter he bought a drink for felt an “intense pain” shortly before blood started “pumping” out of his neck, a court heard.
Mark Cussick, 39, told a jury on Wednesday that William Stuppart, 38, struck him with a knife outside the Abode Bar in Dundee city centre on September 23 2018.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mr Cussick say the incident took place after he went to the pub for a late night drink.
The bar manager told the court that Mr Stuppart approached him in the pub and said that he hadn’t reported him to the police over a “road traffic matter”.
He said that he told Mr Stuppart not to worry and bought him a drink. But he claimed moments afterwards, Mr Stuppart approached him yet again and started throwing punches at him.
The pair then fell to the ground.
The witness said that he then started walking away from the pub up St Andrew’s Street in Dundee but Mr Stuppart started pursuing him.
Mr Cussick, who lives in the city, said: “He got up, chased after us (me) and slashed us in the neck. I was walking and he was running after us and then took a slice out of us.
“I felt an intense pain and then the blood started pumping out of us.
“I started holding my neck. I staggered back to the pub. I collapsed on the floor. I needed an ambulance basically.”
Mr Cussick was giving evidence on the first day of proceedings against Mr Stuppart, who also lives in the Dundee area.
The accused denies charges of the illegal possession of a weapon and attempted murder.
Mr Cussick said he initially returned to the Abode Bar after the alleged attack and collapsed. He said he didn’t feel safe there because he was concerned that Mr Stuppart, who wasn’t there, would return.
The court heard that Mr Cussick got up, left, and walked “five to six minutes” to another pub. He received medical treatment at Ninewells hospital in Dundee and was later allowed to go home.
Prosecutors claim that on September 23 2018, at the Abode Bar in St Andrew’s Street, Dundee, Mr Stuppart did have without a “reasonable excuse” a knife or “similar implement” in his possession.
The Crown also claim that on the same date, at the same location, Mr Stuppart chased Mr Cussick and struck him on the neck with a “knife or a similar sharp implement”.
Mr Stuppart, who is represented by advocate Jonathan Crowe, has entered not guilty pleas to the charges.
The trial, before judge Robert Weir QC, continues.
