Man jailed for trying to kill girlfriend with Mad Dog bottle

A man previously jailed for attacking his girlfriend tried to kill her after being freed from prison. A judge called the attack by Gary Main on Stephanie McKenzie one of the worst cases of attempted murder she had heard.

The 29 year-old repeatedly struck and stabbed Stephanie with a broken Mad Dog 20/20 bottle after turning up at her flat in Glasgow's Provanmill last July 19.

The victim - who suffered a string of injuries - faces the threat of being blinded in her right eye as a result

Main has been sentenced to nine years and four months at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had previously pled guilty to attempted murder as well as stabbing a police officer to the danger of his life after he was called to the bloodbath.

Prosecutor Bill McVicar told how Main was locked up for six months in August 2020 for attacking 28 year-old Stephanie.

Two months later, he was then sentenced to almost two years for further violence not involving his lover.

But, he was back on the streets on May 21 last year.

Main ended up back at Stephanie's home on July 17 and initially spent two nights there.

He left then later texted to state he had taken drugs which had "blown his head off".

Main went on to return to Stephanie's flat under the influence and clutching the bottle of Mad Dog.

Mr McVicar: "He became paranoid asking her to close her windows, questioning if she was up to something and demanding to see her phone."

The woman eventually told him to leave insisting she was "sick of him".

But, as she lay in her bedroom, Main stormed in, sat on top of her and repeatedly smacked her with the alcohol bottle.

The court heard one of the blows fractured her skull.

As Stephanie desperately tried to defend herself, Main continued the attack.

She managed at one stage to slide off the bed before she heard the bottle being smashed and Main then grabbing her in a choke hold.

Mr McVicar: "He repeatedly stabbed her to the head, face and body.

"She tried to curl up into a ball, but he pulled her arms and continued to repeatedly strike her.

"Blood was pouring from her face and she could not see very well.

"She thinks she may have lost consciousness as the next thing she could hear was Main shouting: 'What have I done?'."

Stephanie was eventually able to escape before collapsing in her front garden.

Neighbours raced to her aid as a 999 call was made.

One who came to help later said: "I was just thinking how I did not want Stephanie to die in front of me."

Police soon arrived at the blood-soaked flat.

Main, of the city's Carmyle, yelled at them: "I would not come up here. I am tooled up."

When officers confronted Main, he brandished a knife and struck PC James Torrance, who was saved by his body armour.

Mr McVicar: "PC Torrance said later he was terrified that he had actually been stabbed."

A number of officers had to use their batons to get Main to drop the blade before he was finally arrested. He was found to have a number of self inflicted injuries.

Stephanie meantime was rushed to hospital.

As well as the skull fracture, she also had a "serious sight threatening injury" to her eye as well as deep wounds to her head and nose.

The court heard her eye will need further surgery and has been left with "permanent visual impairment".

Stephanie has also been left scarred for life following her ordeal.

Prosecutor Mr McVicar: "She continues to feel paranoid, nervous and cannot get over what happened and why it happened."

The hearing was also told PC Torrance was previously in the armed forces and as well as frontline ambulance work.

Despite that, he described this incident as the "most violent and traumatic" he had ever experienced.

Donald Findlay QC, defending, said Main had "very little memory" of what he had done and had been badly affected by cocaine that night.

Lady Stacey said the jail-term would have been 14 years, but for the guilty plea.

The judge told him: "The behaviour that night was an absolute disgrace.

"It is one of the worst cases of attempted murder that I have been involved in dealing with.

"You have a previous conviction concerning her. You were back with her and she was entitled to look to you for support.

"What you did has caused grave consequences for her."

Main will also be supervised for a further year on his release.

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