Man jailed over knife attacks on neighbour and stranger

A knife attacker has been jailed for seven years after slashing and stabbing a former neighbour and wounding a stranger in a separate assault.

Aaron Bridges struck twice within a month leaving two victims requiring medical treatment for their injuries.

A judge told him: “You pleaded guilty to two serious assaults, both involving the use of a knife.”

Lady Carmichael said he would have faced a sentence of ten and a half years’ imprisonment, but for his guilty pleas.

The judge ordered that Bridges should be kept under supervision for a further three-year period to protect the public.

The 24-year-old earlier admitted attacking Kristofer Clayton to his severe injury and the danger of his life at Schaw Court, Sauchie, in Clackmannanshire, on August 21 last year by repeatedly punching him, struggling with him and striking him on the body with a knife.

He also admitted assaulting Michael Hennessey to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life on September 19 last year at a close at Schaw Court by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a knife.

The court heard he had been friends with Mr Hennessey, 31. and visited him at his home and stayed over.

Bridges, also known as Docherty, asked to speak to him outside the following morning and the men went into the close.

Advocate depute Mark McGuire said: “The accused indicated some of his belongings were missing. The complainer said that he did not know what the accused was talking about and turned away.”

But as he did this Bridges slashed Mr Hennessey across the left side of his face. The victim seized his attacker by the throat and shouted his name to try and halt the unprovoked attack, but Bridges repeatedly stabbed him in the chest and left leg.

Mr Hennessey released his grip and fell to the floor before managing to climb back to his feet and staggering back into his home.

Bridges, who had remained silent during the attack, fled.

Emergency services were called and Mr Hennessey was taken to hospital with a collapsed lung. He sustained eight knife wounds and his injuries were cleaned and sutured and a chest drain was inserted.

Mr McGuire said: “The physician who treated him opined that had he not received such treatment, the complainer would have died.”

The prosecutor said police located Bridges at an address in Tullibody, in Clackmannanshire.Bridges, whose previous convictions include carrying a knife and using a knife during a robbery, had earlier attacked Mr Clayton after the pair got into an argument.

Mr Clayton, 29, was walking back from a cash machine when he met Bridges with others and became involved in a row.

During a struggle Bridges stabbed him in the back before fleeing.

The victim was taken to hospital and treated for the single wound.

Defence solicitor advocate Simon Whyte said Bridges was suffering from “a deteriorating state of mental health” at the time of the offences. Bridges, a prisoner in Low Moss jail, followed the sentencing proceedings via a video link to the prison.