Bravery award call for stab boy

Nine-year-old Nathan was slashed across the face

A "courageous" boy who was stabbed while trying to stop an armed intruder from trying to murder his mother has been recommended for a bravery award.

Hugh Clark, 35, of Rosyth, stabbed Ena Thomson eight times in her home while her two children watched.

Her nine-year-old son Nathan Thomson tried to drag Clark off his mother by jumping onto his back but Clark slashed him across the face with his knife.

Clark was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at the High Court in Glasgow.

Lord Brodie described Nathan, who has been left permanently scarred, as "courageous".

One of Scotland's senior law officers, the solicitor general, has recommended that Nathan be given a bravery award.

The court was told that Clark went to his victim's house at about 2200 GMT on 2 November, 2007, knowing that the two children would be there.

READ THE JUDGE'S COMMENTS Lord Brodie's sentencing statement [72KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here

Mrs Thomson had been in her bedroom when Clark entered the house. She had opened the door of the room to find her attacker standing holding a knife.

She shouted for him to get out of the house but he refused and attacked her, pulling her into the hallway and stabbing her with a kitchen knife.

The two children, Nathan, aged nine and Shannon, aged 12, had been woken by the shouting.

Hugh Clark admitted a charge of attempted murder

Shannon locked herself in her bedroom but Nathan began trying to help his mother.

At an earlier hearing, advocate depute Alex Prentice QC had explained: "Nathan remained in the hallway and then jumped onto [your] back to try and get [you] to stop what [you] were doing.

"[You] shook Nathan off [your] back and then confronted him and stabbed him once in the face with the knife."

Earlier that same evening, Clark had been heard in the Yard public house in Rosyth saying that he intended to kill Mrs Thomson.

Lord Brodie said: "It appears to me that Nathan can be described as an extremely courageous young man who was quite seriously injured in the course of trying to protect his mother from what you have admitted was a murderous attack by a grown man armed with a knife.

"The physical and psychological impacts of these assaults on each member of the Thomson family have been considerable.

"I have no alternative but to impose a sentence of imprisonment."

Clark had 10 previous convictions although none were for violent offences.