Man jailed for stabbing stranger

The judge described the assault as "utterly brutal and unprovoked."

A man who stabbed a stranger in the face in South Lanarkshire because he "looked at him the wrong way" has been jailed for six years.

William Stewart and his friend Thomas McInnes attacked Brett James as he was walked home from a pub in East Kilbride with his wife last November.

Stewart, 17, and McInnes, 19, admitted to the attack when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow in June.

Judge Michael O'Grady said the assault was "utterly brutal and unprovoked".

Stewart was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow and with a supervision order on his release for a further two years.

McInnes will be sentenced in September.

Mr and Mrs James had been watching a Scotland v Italy match in Greenhills Public Bar in East Kilbride on 18 November when they decided to walk home at about 1am.

"Unprovoked attack"

They walked down a path towards Larch Drive when they were approached by McInnes and Stewart.

Alison Di Rollo, prosecuting, said: "Stewart lunged forward and punched Mr James and McInnes started punching him as well."

McInnes then handed Stewart a knife which he used to strike Mr James repeatedly in the face.

The two men continued to attack Mr James, punching him to the ground and jumping on his head.

He was treated in hospital for multiple cuts to the face, four wounds to his scalp and a broken nose.

He received 28 staples to his scalp and 40 stitches to his face.

The court heard he is now very wary of going out.

Tony Graham, defending, said Stewart was haunted by the memory of what he did.

He said: "If there is ever and example of how alcohol and violence cannot mix and how innocent people can be affected, then this is it."