Bus driver stabbed neighbour in murder bid after dispute over parking space

A bus driver who stabbed his neighbour in a murder bid has been convicted.

Stephen McAulay, 35, lashed out at the man outside his home in Glasgow’s Carntyne on May 13 last year.

The pair initially fought amid an ongoing dispute about a parking space on their road.

The men later argued by text message before McAulay went to the crane operator’s home, armed with a knife.

The attacker swung at his victim’s head and body, leaving him with a string of serious injuries, including severe loss of sight in one eye.

McAulay pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to attempted murder.

The court heard that earlier in the day, McAulay challenged the victim about a letter that was placed on his car.

He believed that it had been put there by the man or his wife.

The victim called McAulay “stupid” and said that it had been left on the vehicle by the city council, who wished cars to be moved from the area in order for work to be carried out.

CCTV showed the two men then coming together in a struggle at the time.

The pair later went on to exchange text messages with each other, which related to where McAulay parks his car and a letter.

Over an hour later, McAulay attended at the victim’s home with a knife in the back of his trousers.

The victim then attended to the front of his property.

A woman at the scene was heard to shout: “Go Stephen” before McAulay revealed the knife.

Prosecutor Alexandria Kirk said: “McAulay stabbed [the victim] multiple times to the head, body and face.”

The attacker then fled the scene in a red Corsa as another neighbour performed first aid on the victim.

The victim was taken to hospital and was noted to be “bleeding profusely” and slipping in and out of consciousness.

Ms Kirk added: “The examination revealed multiple wounds on the face, shoulder and left flank with significant external blood loss.”

He was found to have suffered a suspected injury to his left colon, an abdominal injury, as well as wounds to his chest wall and nose.

The man’s chest was drained to relieve a collapsed lung, provided antibiotics and given a blood transfusion.

His condition continued to deteriorate, and he was put into an operating theatre where his left chest was drained.

He also sustained a wound to his diaphragm and colon as well as a partially transected rib.

An eye injury was noted to have pierced the cornea, which has now resulted in poor vision, which can only register light and dark.

Ms Kirk said: “The doctor’s view is that the injuries sustained were life-threatening without treatment and will result in permanent scarring. [The victim] will have ongoing issues requiring further specialist input.”

Since the incident, the victim has reported low mood and anxiety and has not returned to work.

The sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.

McAulay was remanded into custody by Judge Lord Young.