Maybole man slashed with Stanley knife over £30 debt

Christopher Taylor left his victim severely injured and scarred for life after repeatedly striking him with a sharp or pointed implement in Maybole.

Two days after the incident, in the town’s Minnoch Crescent on November 6 last year, the 35-year old assaulted a police officer by approaching them with a glass bottle and attempting to strike them while being arrested at his home in nearby Welltrees Street.

And on November 9 Taylor attacked another police officer, this time at Saltcoats police station, by repeatedly punching him on the head.

The procurator fiscal depute told a hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court: "The locus was the flat in a common close.  At 10pm, the accused chapped the door and asked the householder to speak outside.

"The complainer went to the common close and Christopher Taylor started to argue about money, saying £30 was owed. 

"The accused then drew a Stanley knife and struck the complainer to the side of the face, causing a slash wound on the right cheekbone. He then struck him injuring his forearm

"[A witness] heard distress and noted bleeding to the complainer’s head. He stated he had been struck with a knife by the accused. The accused said “Put super glue on it. You'll be fine.” 

"The accused, who was stood in the living room, then shook his hand and said ‘debt paid'.

"A 999 call was made indicating a man had been slashed with a knife. Police attended and found [the victim] wounded. He was taken to Crosshouse hospital.

"Mr Taylor was arrested the following day on suspicion of the offence and conveyed to Saltcoats police station.

"The complainer’s left cheek had significant bleeding and he had a puncture to his right arm.

“Two litres of blood were lost. An 8.5cm laceration to his face was to a depth of 1.5cm. He was admitted for surgery.”

Turning to the incident on November 8, the prosecutor said police had gone to Taylor’s home to arrest him shortly after 7pm, but that the accused, who appeared to be under the influence, became agitated.

"He entered a common close,” the fiscal said, and returned with a glass bottle, which he brandished at police and stated ‘you're getting it’.”

Officers used a burst of Pava spray to incapacitate Taylor and he was arrested after he began to feel the effects.

On the November 9 incident, the fiscal said Taylor carried out the attack after an officer dropped a set of keys.

She said: "Taylor stated 'you growling at me?', then swung his right arm and repeatedly punched him in the face and made attempts to keep punching him.

The court heard the constable suffered an injury to his right eye, a burst blood vessel and bruising, but that there was no permanent damage.

Defence solicitor Robert Logan said: "Mr Taylor is entirely realistic and always intended on resolving matters. As for the circumstances, little can be said in mitigation.

"He was actually friends [with the complainer] at the time, and did lend money. It was nothing sinister, or drugs, or anything like that.

"It wasn't a case of menacing. It was used, then he apparently waived the debt.

"It's my understanding he actually went back to apologise, but I don't think this was received very well.

"He regretted it almost immediately, then there was this involvement with the police officers.

"It's something that has devilled him all his life when dealing with authority figures.”

Sheriff Desmond Leslie said: "You have a dreadful record for violence. It seems to be the only way you can react to circumstances. 

"There is nothing to suggest any provocation other than you were owed £30.

"I'll say nothing on the attacks on police officers except that, simply, they were just doing their job."

Taylor was jailed for 27 months, reduced from 36 due to his guilty plea, with the sentence backdated to November 11, 2023, when he was first remanded in custody.