Teens caught trying to brutally murder man in Snapchat video jailed

Two teenagers captured on Snapchat carrying out a brutal attempted murder have been jailed for six years.

Christopher McDonald, 18, and Ben French, 19, attacked a 51-year-old man at a flat in Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire, on February 5, 2023.

The victim was stabbed with a large hunting knife as well as being punched, kicked and stamped upon.

McDonald and French had each been granted bail just three days before the attack.

On Wednesday, the pair were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow having earlier each admitted to the attempted murder charge.

Prosecutor Ann McNeill told how police became aware of the attack footage after McDonald sent it to others on his Snapchat contacts list.

The clips – described as a “graphic” – were played during the hearing.

They began with a picture of a large blade – which appeared to have blood staining – being shown in front of the camera.

The bleeding and wounded victim cowered and groaned in pain.

Ms McNeill: “He was seen with another male – later identified as French – assaulting an older male by repeatedly kicking and punching him on the head and body.

“There was repeated stamping on his head, brandishing of a knife and repeated stabbing to the buttocks.”

A police investigation was launched which included trying to trace the victim.

It eventually lead officers to the flat in Thornliebank.

The victim answered – he was bleeding from “severe” facial injuries and other wounds.

The man told how he had been out the night before in Lanarkshire before going to a bar in Glasgow’s Shawlands.

He then got a bus home, but fell asleep during the journey and ending up getting off in the city’s Gorbals.

As the man checked the time for the next bus, another man approached and asked for a cigarette.

He believed they went to a nearby pub, but his next memory was when police turned up.

The victim needed extensive hospital treatment having suffered multiple fractures to his skull, cheek, jaw as well as eight stab wounds and a punctured lung.

He required two further operations due to an infection.

The man has been scarred for life, has permanent numbness on one side of his face and has lost all hearing in his left ear.

McDonald was held initially for breaching bail.

While getting his fingerprints taken, he stated: “Watch the hand. I punched the c***.

“F***, there are cameras in here.”

French was later charged by police.

McDonald’s lawyer Jonathan Crowe told the court: “He is horrified at being involved in this.

“He has instructed me to offer a public apology. Never again will he consider carrying or using weapons.”

Rosalyn McTaggart, defending French, said: “I offer no mitigation. He is clear in his instructions that this offence was despicable.”

Lord Clark said the custodial term would have been eight years, but for the guilty pleas.

He told the pair: “The video footage recorded by you, McDonald, graphically showed the high level of violence used and the damage done to the victim.

“The victim impact statement explains the quite awful physical, emotional and psychological consequences this appalling attack has caused.”