Woman stabbed man to death with hairdressing scissors

A woman who stabbed a dad through the heart with hairdressing scissors has been jailed for six years and eight months.

Jayney Sutherlay, from Paisley, admitted killing Alistair MacFadyen at a flat in Glenburn in the early hours of June 13, last year.

The 40-year-old victim was found seriously injured and rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley shortly after 2am but medical staff were unable to save him.

Sutherlay, 46, pled guilty to culpable homicide. She was originally accused of murder.

She claims she attacked Mr MacFadyen after he stabbed her in the thigh with the scissors.

Sentencing her at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Matthews told Sutherlay: “Mr MacFadyen’s life is incalculable as far as his family is concerned.

“His father has said in a victim impact statement that no father should have to bury their own child.

“The stab wound you inflicted brought about his death.”

Defence QC Donald Findlay told the court: “She was the victim of appalling domestic abuse at the hands of two partners.

“Her son died of an overdose and that is something she is haunted and tormented by.

“She is remorseful and horrified and disgusted by the suffering and harm she has caused to Mr MacFadyen’s family.”

The court heard that Mr MacFadyen went to visit his ex-girlfriend Maureen Campbell in her flat at the same time Sutherlay was living there.

Around midnight Sutherlay, an unemployed hairdresser, produced the scissors from her back pocket and said she was going out to collect a debt.

There was an argument about whether Ms Campbell should go along with her.

At 1.50am a 999 call was made and police found both women in a bedroom trying to stem the flow of blood from Mr MacFadyen’s chest.

Prosecutor Lindsay Dalziel said: “The accused’s position is that Mr MacFadyen took the scissors from her, broke them and wielded them in her direction causing injury.

“She said she lost control and stabbed him. The Crown cannot contradict this and the plea is accepted on the basis of provocation.

When police arrived at the flat to find Mr MacFadyen dying and Sutherlay and Ms Campbell trying to stem the flow of blood. She said: “I’ve stabbed him with a pair of hairdressing scissors.”

After hearing he was dead she told them: “He done it to me first,” and then added: “Is he really dead with that one wee jab.”

Sutherlay admitted killing Mr MacFadyen by striking him on the body with a blade from a pair of scissors or similar shaped bladed implement.

She was also accused of being concerned in the supply of heroin, cocaine and Diazepam from the flat between January 1 and June 13, last year.

Her pleas of not guilty to these charges and a further charge of behaving in a threatening manner at the flat on June 13, last year, were accepted.

She was sentenced via a video link from prison.