Drug dealer stabbed after supplying paracetomol
A Lerwick resident stabbed a drug dealer after being sold paracetomol instead of cocaine, Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Ross MacDougall, 27, who was described as a prisoner at Inverness, but comes from Shetland, appeared from custody and admitted striking 26-year-old Garry Macdonald with a steak knife to his injury and danger of life in Hilton Crescent, Inverness on 18th October.
Sheriff David Sutherland was told that MacDougall was drinking with two other friends, James Dearie, 25, and Steven Giblin, 30, at Lauders Bar in Inverness. They then returned to Giblin’s house at 27 Hilton Crescent where MacDougall was staying, and continued drinking alcohol and also took cocaine.
Procurator fiscal Roderick Urquhart said: “Dearie and MacDougall both left and went to the Scotmid shop, Balloan Road, Inverness, to purchase more alcohol.
“They also met Garry Macdonald, from whom Dearie had arranged by telephone, to purchase cocaine.
“Macdonald was intoxicated and supplied them with what they believed to be one gram of cocaine, making arrangements to pay for it at a later date.
“They returned to Hilton Crescent where Dearie examined the purchase and recognised it as mere paracetamol.
“Dearie then phoned Macdonald, who was in the company of Doneil Esson, 22, to complain about this. Macdonald put Esson on the phone and a disagreement took place between him and Dearie.
“The call ended with them arranging to meet up for a fight. MacDougall picked up a knife from the kitchen, saying it was for protection before meeting Esson and Macdonald.
“The fight took place and MacDougall put Macdonald to the ground and then was seen by Dearie making small stabbing motions with his right hand, giving the impression he was stabbing him.”
Mr Urquhart said the victim did not not realise he had been stabbed, thinking he had been kicked on the back three times.
“He went home by taxi and went to bed, later discovering a small pool of blood on the bed sheets,” Mr Urquhart said.
“He was taken to Raigmore Hospital and had wounds to his left cheek, his shoulder blade and chest which caused a collapsed lung.
“A CT scan showed this wound to have just missed the main artery and vein coming from the heart to the lungs. The consultant surgeon who treated him described Macdonald as being ‘very lucky’.”
Macdonald was transferred to the high dependency unit for observation and was fit to be discharged after two days, Mr Urquhart went on.
MacDougall was arrested by police on 20th October and told officers: “I just hope the boy is okay. It’s totally out of character for me. I had a lot to drink. There’s things I can’t remember, but I’ve done that; it’s just unbelievable.”
Sentence was deferred until 19th January for a background report and MacDougall was again remanded. Defence solicitor Rory Gowans reserved his comments until then.
