iStockA man who attacked his victim with a garden shear has been jailed for 14 years.
James Galbraith was guilty of the “barbaric” attack on a man in Greenock, Inverclyde, on September 12, 2021.
A judge stated how it was “miraculous” that the victim survived.
Galbraith, 41, was convicted of attempted murder following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
It emerged his criminal past included being jailed for six years for the same offence in 2010.
Jurors heard how Galbraith, of Paisley, had armed himself with one half of a pair of garden shears.
He then stabbed his victim in the back as he walked away.
The victim suffered damage dangerously near the heart as well as a ruptured lung.
The court heard it was only the “outstanding professionalism and skill” of medics at the scene and at hospital that he survived.
He has been left with limited lung function for the rest of his life.
Lord Arthurson told Galbraith: “I do not think I am overstating matters to characterise this as being close to murder as any crime of such a nature could be.
“It is really quite miraculous that [the victim] survived.
“This attack utilised a quite barbaric bladed weapon, which was plunged into his back as he was walking away from you.
“This was, on any view, a cowardly and wholly gratuitous attack.”
Michael Drummond, 43, of Greenock, had also faced the same charge, but he was instead convicted of a much lesser assault by headbutting.
He was admonished after it was heard he had previously spent 588 days on remand.
Galbraith and Drummond had previously stood trial in 2023.
But, after almost the completion of evidence, the case had to be halted after an outburst by Drummond from the witness box.
He was later jailed for 12 months for contempt of court.
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