Lawyer punched in cells by client

Mr McBride was punched in the cells by his client at the High Court

A top lawyer has been attacked by a convicted rapist minutes before he was due to represent the man in court.

Paul McBride QC was punched in the face in the cells at the High Court in Glasgow, leaving his nose broken and with blood on his white cravat.

Mr McBride, 40, said the assault had come out of the blue.

The attacker was a 24-year-old man who had been due to be sentenced for beating up a woman before raping her in a Glasgow flat last November.

The case was deferred and a murder trial in which Mr McBride was due to appear as defence counsel also had to be put off for the day.

Speaking afterwards, the QC said: "It just came out of the blue. What happened makes you wonder just how vulnerable you are.

"Normally, even with clients who have been jailed for 20 years you meet them in the cells and they thank you for all your efforts."