Pitlochry residents looked on in horror as a tearful woman stumbled through the streets of the picturesque town wearing a veil of blood.
Moments earlier, troubled Tammi Bruce had stabbed her ex-partner in the neck with a shard of glass.
The attack left staff and patrons at the Fisher’s Hotel battling to staunch the blood flow from the spurting wound suffered by stricken Iain Moore.
He had to undergo emergency surgery at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital to remove the glass, which had become embedded in his neck, and will be permanently scarred.
Bruce fled the scene after the attack and shocked witnesses saw her in the street, her face and hands covered in blood. Perth Sheriff Court was told that a number had attempted to offer her help, only to hear her tearful confession.
She told them: “I can’t believe I’ve just stabbed someone in the neck,” prompting a flood of calls to the police.
Bruce was spotted by numerous other members of the public as she made her way to Pitlochry Railway Station where following further confessions she boarded a train.
Rail staff also contacted the police and officers were waiting to apprehend the accused when she exited the train in Perth. She was found to be heavily intoxicated.
Depute fiscal Rebecca Kynaston told the court that the pair had been spotted arguing in a bar at the hotel around an hour before the assault. Bruce was then seen to pick up a pint glass, before making a brief visit to the toilet.
“Staff saw the accused return to the bar area and approach the complainer from behind to strike him on the neck with an unknown object.
“Blood was seen spurting from the complainer’s neck and bar staff rushed to the complainer to apply pressure to the wound in a bid to stem the bleeding.”
Ms Kynaston said Bruce had explained to police that she needed to speak to Mr Moore, only to find that he was unwilling to talk.
Bruce, 34, Tummel Valley Holiday Park, Tummel Bridge, admitted assaulting Mr Moore at the hotel on August 5 last year by striking him on the neck with a glass to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until May 23 for the preparation of social work and psychiatric reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment.