Man almost blinded girlfriend by pouring bleach over her

A man who almost blinded his girlfriend by pouring bleach over her hair and body has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

David McNiven, 23, assaulted Naomi Marshall and took her hostage in his flat New Cumnock, East Ayrshire, in June last year.

The attack was recorded during a 20-minute 999 call made by McNiven.

At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lady Stacey ordered McNiven, who appeared via a video link, to be monitored for five years after his release from prison.

She told him: “This was a disgraceful course of conduct a young woman was put through a horrific ordeal.

“I regard this as extremely serious. What you did was horrible. It was a cruel thing to do.”

McNiven pleaded guilty to the assault on Ms Marshall and wilful fire raising.

The court heard he set fire to a pile of clothes in a Kilmarnock flat where he was staying in April last year, and told he wanted to make the “place go boom.”

He then moved to New Cumnock and began a relationship with Ms Marshall in May last year.

At a party in June, the pair got into an argument but later made up. Later that night, there was another row about blood on his hall carpet.

Prosecutor Erin Campbell said: “He began pushing her into the living room whilst calling her a cow and a w**** and threatening to kill her.

“She began to cry which angered McNiven further.

“She sat on the sofa while McNiven went to the kitchen and returned with a knife.”

McNiven dialled 999 from his mobile phone and told the call handler: “I’ve got a hostage, I’ve nothing to lose, I’m going to detonate, I’ll cut the f***ing pipes.

“I want someone worth speaking to, I’m losing the plot, I’ll kill her, I want someone to shoot me.

“This time I’m going to cut someone’s f****** throat.”

McNiven threatened to slice Ms Marshall’s throat and told her “the last house I owned went up in flames”.

Ms Campbell added: “He ordered her to lie on the floor and poured bleach all over her hair and back.

“She immediately felt her skin burning, she tried to get up and felt the bleach running into her eyes.”

McNiven continued to attack Ms Marshall and choked her while pointing a knife at her throat.

He told the call handler: “I’ve blocked that front door, I’ll blow this b***** up right now.

“I’ll stab her through the neck and put her out the window to prove a point to you.”

McNiven then poured beer over the living room carpet and set the room on fire.

When police and an ambulance crew arrived they found Ms Marshall’s eyes were red and inflamed and she required immediate treatment.

Ms Campbell added: “Had she not had this treatment then this injury could have resulted in a loss of vision.”

Ms Marshall sustained several bruises to her head and required ten stitches to her lip.