Greenock man detained for 3 years for knife attack

A teenager who brutally stabbed a man in a knife attack after an argument was ordered to be detained for three years today .

Alexander McQuillan had been freed early from a previous jail term when he carried out the assault on David Rice in his home town of Greenock.

A judge told McQuillan, now aged 20: "You pled guilty to a very serious offence involving stabbing a friend on the head and body."

Lord Turnbull said: "The offence was originally charged as an attempt to murder and it may be you were fortunate that aggravation was reduced at the end of the day by the plea accepted by the Crown."

He said: "It is very concerning that you committed that offence while released early from your previous sentence and it is also very concerning that you have a previous conviction involving possession of a knife and other convictions involving possession of other weapons."

The judge said he had given serious consideration to imposing a lengthy period of imprisonment on McQuillan, who is currently detained, but there were other factors he could take into account.

Lord Turnbull pointed out that his previous conviction were committed when he was 16 or 17 and the latest offence when he was 19.

The judge said there were indications in a background report prepared on McQuillan that he may be approaching "a period of maturity" and that his interest in the welfare of his unborn child was encouraging.

But Lord Turnbull warned that if he offended again in a similar way "it seems to me the likelihood is you will spend an inordinate amount of time of your young life in custody".

The judge told him: "I hope you appreciate a significant degree of leniency has been allowed in this case."

He also imposed an additional year-long supervised release order on McQuillan.

McQuillan earlier admitted assaulting Mr Rice by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a knife to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement on June 10 last year at the junction of Wellington Street and Ann Street in Greenock.

He had got into an argument and was seen by witnesses to be brandishing a large, bladed weapon.

Mr Rice (25) had told him: "Put that away and fight like a man." But McQuillan approached him and struck him on the head and stabbed him in the stomach with the weapon.

McQuillan ran off in and out of gardens and through closes after the attack and two women went to help Mr Rice after he collapsed.

Police found the victim lying on the ground bleeding heavily from wounds to his stomach and head. He arrived at hospital having lost a lot blood and underwent emergency surgery.

The court heard that McQuillan is due to become a father in April and recognised that he needed to address "a negative peer group association together with the consumption of alcohol and drugs".