Dumbarton knife attacker jailed after victim loses leg

A knife attacker was jailed for five years after repeatedly stabbing a man who lost a leg after the assault. Thomas Kearney (29) wounded his victim after hours of heavy drinking following attending at the funeral of a friend.

The stabbing victim, 37-year-old Patrick Barnes, suffered a cardiac arrest after the attack on him and was placed in an induced coma and underwent the amputation of his right leg.

A judge told Kearney at the High Court in Edinburgh: "The danger to his life was very real."

Lady Scott said alcohol abuse played a significant part in the circumstances of the offence and added: "There is no excuse for your conduct."

The judge said: "You now appear to be motivated to address your conduct and undertake programmes to that end."

She told Kearney that he would have faced a sentence of six and a half years imprisonment, but for his guilty plea.

Kearney, a prisoner, was originally charged with the attempted murder of his victim but pled guilty to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life.

During the attack at a house in Cumbrae Crescent South, in Dumbarton, on March 9 or 10 this year he stabbed the victim five times in the leg.

Mr Barnes leg had come into contact with him and Kearney picked up the weapon and launched the assault.

Mr Barnes told police that he remembered feeling dizzy and faint and blood was pouring from the limb.

The court heard that an argument had broken out related to the funeral and the deceased.

Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci told the court: "He recognises that his behaviour was totally unacceptable."

"He recognises he has to do something about his difficulties in order to ensure that when he is released from the sentence about to be imposed he can get his life back on track," he said.

Mr Renucci said that although Kearney has previous convictions, including for possession of a weapon, this was his first conviction for actual violence.

The defence counsel said: "He has expressed genuine remorse for his actions and has also displayed a high level of victim empathy."

"It is fair to say he feels great shame and embarrassment for his conduct in this matter," said Mr Renucci.