Pair jailed for Cumbernauld acid attack on party-goers

Two thugs were convicted of a horrific acid attack on three party-goers. Steven Marshall, 22, shouted “scoosh them” and his co-accused James Smith, 24, sprayed a bottle of acid over the three friends.

Stephen Hose, 23, was left with a horrific injuries to his face and Jake McLaughlin, 26, and David Abernethy, 22, also suffered acid burns.

Marshall and Smith, both from Cumbernauld, were convicted after trial of pouring acid over them to their severe injury and and permanent disfigurement at Oak Road, Abronhill, Cumbernauld, on October 14, 2017.

Mr Hose was left with scars at his right eye and mouth, Mr McLaughlin had burns to his legs, an arm and the back of his head and Abernethy was burnt on one arm.

Smith denied that he and his co-accused were involved in the acid attack.

He told prosecutor David Taylor: “I've got better things to to with my time than going about attacking people with acid.”

But, the jury did not believe him and found him and Marshall guilty.

Judge lord Clark told the pair: “You have been convicted of assaulting three people to their severe injury and permanent disfigurement. Acid of the strongest type was thrown over them.”

The court heard that minutes before the acid attack the door of a house in Oak Road was kicked in while a party was in full swing.

In court it was claimed that the householder had run up a £1,000 cocaine debt to Marshall.

Three partygoers ran out into the street to find out why the door had been booted in and had acid thrown on them by Smith after he was ordered to do so by Marshall.

Mr Hose said: “I felt my skin burning. I was in agony.”

He was splashed with water until the paramedics arrived to take him to hospital.

Jake McLaughlin said that he immersed himself on a bath of cold water

He added: “I was in my boxers in the bath and someone was pouring water over me.”

He was then taken by ambulance to Monklands hospital where medical staff put him in a shower for two hours to wash the corrosive acid off his skin.

In court Mr Abernethy said: “James Smith was the person that attacked me."

He said he did not tell police at the time because he was scared.

He told the court there was a shout of “scoosh him, scoosh them,” and then the acid was thrown from a container.

Julie Reilly, 22, a nursery teacher from Kilsyth, who was at the party, said: “I heard a noise at the door. It was kicked in. Jake McLaughlin, David Abernethy and Stephen Hose went outside into the car park and I followed them.

“There was arguing, I felt burning on my leg, It all happened so fast.”

Ms Reilly said that she ran inside and changed out of her leggings into a new pair and there were burns on her leg.

The jury found a charge of throwing acid at her not proven.

Marshall and Smith will be sentenced next month.