Inverclyde man attacks partner with a machete after he refused to go to shops

A man tried to kill his partner in a brutal machete attack - after he refused to go to the shops. Kevin Bryce left 49 year old Kevin Donnelly horrifically wounded after pouncing on him last month.

The 35 year-old thug then told his blameless victim: “You f** deserved it”.

Bryce went on to stand outside smoking a cigarette - before telling police: “I chopped him up”.

A judge heard how Mr Donnelly was already disabled having been hit with a machete a decade earlier.

Bryce has now been jailed for eight years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to attempting to murder his partner.

The High Court in Glasgow was told how Mr Donnelly branded Bryce “evil” and that he has not returned home due to his horror ordeal.

The couple had been in an on-off relationship for many years.

Bryce was living with Mr Donnelly at the time at the victim's flat in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde.

Prosecutor Bernard Ablett said Mr Donnelly used a walking stick after being attacked with a machete 15 years ago.

The pair were at home on October 22 when Bryce suddenly turned on his disabled partner.

Mr Ablett went on: “Bryce asked Mr Donnelly to go to a local shop. He refused to go.

“Following the refusal, the next thing Mr Donnelly was aware of Bryce walking towards him with a machete in his hand.”

Raging Bryce struck his partner on the head, body and legs with the weapon.

Mr DOnnelly immediately slumped to the ground dropping his stick.

The prosecutor added: “Bryce continued to strike him with the machete while Mr Donnelly was on the floor.”

Mr Donnelly managed to get up while desperately trying to stop the attack.

The blood soaked victim then stumbled out the flat in his boxers shorts and socks.

He struggled to a neighbour's door yelling: “Help, help - phone an ambulance. He's tried to kill me. He hit me with a hatchet.”

Another resident meantime got towels to try and stem the blood from Mr Donnelly's deep wounds.

Mr Donnelly added: “He's evil. He did this to me.”

Bryce appeared and lied that he had been “defending” himself.

He stated: “You f** deserved. It is your own fault. You came at me. I was not just going to stand there.”

Mr Ablett told the court it was agreed Mr Donnelly did not have a machete before the attack and that Bryce had not been protecting himself.

Bryce went on to claim he was “going nowhere” as he was “waiting for the police”.

Mr Ablett said: “He left Mr Donnelly's flat and stood outside smoking a cigarette.”

Bryce was held and confessed: “I chopped him up. I want interviewed as I want to admit it to all. I want it dealt with.”

But, he again claimed to have grabbed the machete from his partner - before stating: “I was trying to murder him.”

The victim needed a string of wounds treated. He also had a fractured skull and collarbone.

The court heard there had been “a potential danger of life”.

Mr Ablett said Mr Donnelly remains badly affected by the attack.

This includes now having to use two walking stick due to his injuries.

The prosecutor added: “He has not returned to the flat due to its association with the attack.

“He was struggling to sleep as every time he closed his eyes he saw Bryce with the machete.”

Bryce's lawyer John McElroy even described the crime as “brutal” adding there had been “no justification or provocation”.

Lord Mulholland said the jail-term would have been 13 years, but for the guilty plea.

The judge told Bryce: “This was the attempted murder of your disabled partner. You repeatedly struck him with a fearsome weapon.

“His injuries are extensive. The court takes a very serious view of such crimes committed within a domestic setting.''