Man jailed for waterboarding woman with kettle before stabbing her in Glasgow home

A man who abducted and waterboarded a woman in her home before stabbing her has been jailed for three years.

Christopher Hanratty, 30, attacked the 50-year-old at the property in Glasgow’s Parkhead on September 24, 2022.

Hanratty forced his way in before binding her ankles and wrists to a mattress cover.

He then put a belt around her neck, a towel over her head and poured hot water from a kettle on her.

Hanratty asked her: “How do you want your body chopped up?”

He then stabbed her with a knife.

Hanratty pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to abducting his victim to her severe injury and danger of life on Monday.

He also admitted possession of knives in a public place without a reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

The hearing was told that things were initially “friendly” before an argument took place and Hanratty headbutted the woman to the face before slapping her head and body.

Prosecutor Darren Harty said: “He then told her to lie down on a plastic mattress cover where he bound her ankles and wrists with masking tape.

“He continued to assault her and put a belt around her neck as well as a towel over her face.

“He waterboarded [the woman] by pouring a kettle with warm water on her head on two separate occasions.”

Hanratty asked her: “What way do you want to go? How do you want your body chopped up?”

He then struck her on the back with a knife.

The victim drifted in and out of consciousness and believed the assault lasted 24 hours.

She attended church two days later where injuries were noted by witnesses.

Police attended the church and took her to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

She was found to have suffered bruising and wounds to her forehead, swelling and bruising to her nose as well as bruising around both eyes.

She also sustained a ligature mark on her neck, bruising to the right side of her cheek and back, a cut to her cheek, a wound to her thigh and swollen hands.

Philip Cohen, defending, told the court that the argument arose out of allegations the woman stole Hanratty’s sister’s medication.

The lawyer also refuted claims that the attack lasted 24 hours stating: “Mr Hanratty stated that it was not that long.

“Given what he did, it can’t be that long, the victim may have thought it was longer than what it was.”

Sheriff Paul Reid told Hanratty, of the city’s Shettleston, that the attack would have been “terrifying” for the victim.