Jail for student who stabbed classmate at safari park

A man was jailed for two years after attempting to murder his classmate at Blair Drummond Safari Park.

Christopher Blaikie, 24, stabbed Claire Mazzucchi in the neck during a field trip to study the behaviour of animals.

The psychology student became agitated and had been suffering obsessive thoughts before the attack on March 30 last year.

He had sought medical help before the assault, but was not diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome until after the assault.

He admitted the charge of attempted murder when he appeared in court last year.

Blaikie felt he did not fit in with his peers and had become isolated.

Ms Mazzucchi, 22, had been living in the same flat as Blaikie but had left because she felt uneasy.

During the lunch break Blaikie started banging his cutlery then walked over to Ms Mazzucchi’s table where he put her in a head lock and after making one or two stabbing motions, he struck her once on the left hand side of her neck with a knife.

Another student got up and pulled Blaikie away from the young woman who needed surgery.

At Aberdeen High Court Lord Turnbull jailed Blaikie for two years.