Drug user tried to murder woman training for marathon 'for no reason'

A drug-fueled knife attacker who tried to murder a lone woman runner training for a marathon told police he had no reason for carrying out the assault, a court heard.

Tommy-Jay Wallace, also known as Tommy-Jay Craig, repeatedly struck the woman, who was a complete stranger to him, on the head and body with a knife before walking away from the scene of the attack.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the victim was left suffering from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder following the murder bid.

Advocate depute Tracey Brown said: “She is scared to go out at night and becomes scared when someone is walking behind her.”

The court heard that the woman suffered lacerations to her face and neck and a substantial injury to her arm and underwent surgery following nerve damage.

The prosecutor said that on the evening of May 14 last year, the woman went out for a run in Dundee as part of her marathon training.

She finished the run and began to walk home when she became aware of a man jumping out of bushes and coming towards her. She initially thought it was a prank but then came under attack and tried to fight him off.

The victim ran off in the direction of a nearby car park where she thought there would be other people, but Wallace chased after her, caught up with her and grabbed her from behind.

He began to stab her and she put up an arm to protect herself and was stabbed in the arm. She fought against him and kicked out but he continued with the assault.

During the attempted murder, he grabbed her phone which was in her hand throughout the assault. After the unprovoked violence ended, Wallace walked away in the direction of Dundee city centre.

Police received multiple calls over the attack and officers found the bloodied victim in her running kit. Police also found Wallace at Broughty Ferry Road and he said to them words to the effect that it was him they were looking for.

He told officers that the woman was running away from him and that he had no reason for doing it. During footage shown to the court he was asked where the woman was and Wallace, who appeared to have unblinking, staring eyes, replied: “I don’t know. I left her.”

Wallace said: “I get these voices in my head.” He revealed he had taken a mix of heroin and crack cocaine and thought he had tried LSD as well.

He later revealed he was previously diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis.

Unemployed Wallace, of Dundee, admitted assaulting the woman to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement and attempting to murder her on May 14 last year at Stannergate Road and Broughty Ferry Road in the city.

During the attack he punched her on the head and body, struggled with her, pursued her and repeatedly struck her with a knife.

The court heard he has previous convictions including for theft, police assault, possession of indecent images of children and breaching bail.

Wallace was seen by a psychiatrist after the attack because of the nature of the crime and his history of psychosis and was reported to be fit to instruct lawyers.

The Crown made a motion for the making of a risk assessment order, which can lead to the imposition of an Order for Lifelong Restriction on the offender.

The judge, Lord Young, said that he would adjourn sentencing for a background report with a risk assessment on Wallace in the first instance.

Wallace, who followed proceedings through a TV link to prison, was told he would remain in jail. The case was continued to February 27 at the High Court in Livingston.