A teenager who stabbed his friend in the hand has been sentenced to a community payback order.
George Buchan (18), of Southern Close, Arbroath, was sentenced after a knife attack on July 24 last year which left his friend with cuts and permanent nerve damage.
Buchan previously admitted the assault, which saw him repeatedly strike out with a kitchen knife.
Arbroath Sheriff Court heard an argument started at about 1.30am after a night of drinking.
Depute fiscal Chris McIntosh said: ”The accused picked up a fairly substantial knife and thrust the knife towards the victim, striking the victim on the hand.
”The victim put his hands up to defend himself and has been struck at least two times by the knife.”
Buchan left the address and called the police himself, saying he had stabbed his friend. Officers traced Buchan and managed to stop him from attempting to take his own life.
The victim suffered deep cuts to two fingers on his left hand and was taken to Arbroath Infirmary and later to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where he was seen by a specialist.
The injury was repaired, but the man, who was present in court on Tuesday to support Buchan, was left with altered sensation.
Defence agent Nick Markowski said Buchan wished to apologise to his friend.
He added: ”He (the victim) experiences occasional numbness in his finger and had been left with scars on his hands.
”Mr Buchan is 18 years of age, but at the time the offence was committed he was 17 and he appears as a first offender with past psychological difficulties.”
Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Buchan to a 150-hour community payback order with an 18-month supervision requirement and ordered forfeiture of the knife.