Stabbing case sheriff hits out at booze culture
A SHERIFF has hit out at Lanarkshire’s booze culture after jailing a man for a stabbing at a party.
Scott Rowlands claimed he was so drunk he didn’t realise he had a knife when he attacked Graham Harris at a house in Motherwell.
Sheriff Thomas Millar jailed Rowlands (25) for two years, telling him: “If people didn’t drink to excess most of the business in this court would disappear. There is no excuse for this behaviour.”
His comments came less than a month after a doctor giving evidence during a stabbing trial at the same court claimed half of casualties attending Lanarkshire accident and emergency units are drunk.
Rowlands, a prisoner, admitted assaulting Mr Harris to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement at a house in Dalriada Crescent, Motherwell, on December 4.
The court heard Rowlands had been given bail for another knife assault charge just a month before he stabbed Mr Harris. That case has yet to come to court.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Millar pointed out Rowlands had a previous conviction for having a blade.
The sheriff told him: “You are not averse to picking up a knife and the sentence would have been 30 months but for the timing of your guilty plea.”
Full story in this week’s Motherwell Times, out on Wednesday.
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Weather for Motherwell, Scotland
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North
