Man who stabbed himself to frame assault victim in Barrhead jailed for over five years

A man who stabbed his own leg in an attempt to frame the victim he subjected to a life-threatening assault has been jailed for five years.

Thomas Irvine, 51, struck a man with a knife in Barrhead on April 16.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how Irvine then took the weapon and stabbed himself in the leg in an attempt to avoid detection for the assault.

He later told police officers that he had assaulted him before his story was exposed as untrue following a CCTV review.

Irvine, also of Barrhead, pleaded guilty to assault and causing severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger to life at a court hearing earlier this year.

He also admitted a second charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice before Judge Lord Harrower, who deferred sentence for a background report.

On Wednesday, the case was called at the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing, and Irvine was given a sentence of five years and four months.

Solicitor advocate Robert Mitchell told Lord Harrower that his client had a long-standing addiction and mental health issues.

Lord Harrower told Irvine that he needed to go to prison for his crimes.

He said: “Your pathetic attempts to shift the blame onto him wasted the resources of both the police and the hospital staff.

“The sentence will be five years and four months.”

The court had earlier heard how Irvine “stood over the victim and continued to stab him”.

These actions caused the victim to have puncture wounds to the left side of his body, buttocks and lower legs.

Irvine then pulled the man to his feet, where they continued to struggle with each other while standing.

An unknown man separated the pair.

Irvine was heard to shout as he walked away: “I’ve stabbed him, I’ve stabbed him, I’ve got him, I’ve got him.”

Mr Murray added: “A member of the public saw Irvine stabbing his own legs before running.”

Irvine went to a property of a woman whom he knew.

Police attended the area and found the victim being attended to by paramedics. He refused to tell officers who attacked him.

Officers were directed to the property where Irvine had gone, and he was found lying in the hallway with blood-soaked trousers.

A CCTV review showed that the accused was not responsible for stabbing Irvine.

When Irvine was discharged from hospital on April 17, he was charged by police to which he replied: “He was the one who attacked me. I never had a knife.”

The court heard how the victim suffered three stab wounds, which were closed with stitches.

On Wednesday, solicitor advocate Robert Mitchell told Lord Harrower that his client had previous convictions for similar offences.

Mr Mitchell added: “ He understands that a significant custodial sentence is inevitable.”

Lord Harrower told Irvine that he would have received an eight-year term if he hadn’t pleaded guilty and had been convicted following trial.