Man jailed for £30 debt slashing

The court heard Gray carried out the attack over a "minor debt"

A gardener who slashed a man with a Stanley knife over a £30 debt has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Neil Gray, 30, of Exchange Street, Jedburgh, admitted carrying out the attack on Ross Gilfillan at his home in the town, in April.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the victim would be permanently scarred as a result of the incident.

Judge Lord Emslie said it appeared to have been a premeditated act, and there was no option but to jail him.

Gray initially, who at first denied the offence, claimed he had gone for a walk in the countryside at the time and sat in a hollow tree pondering his life.

You deliberately armed yourself with a knife and then used it on someone in his own home leaving him permanently scarred Lord Emslie

He later pled guilty to the attack on 23 April at the house, on Jedburgh's Blair Avenue.

The court heard how there had been an exchange of mobile phone text messages about the debt before the attack.

Two days later, Gray turned up at his victim's home and attacked him with the knife.

The court heard Mr Gilfillan suffered a 15cm cut on his face, running from his right ear lobe to his cheek, and was left with two parallel wounds on his neck and a cut on his shoulder blade.

In addition, he suffered injuries to a finger and, doctors feared, nerve and tendon damage.

Lord Emslie told Gray: "You deliberately armed yourself with a knife and then used it on someone in his own home leaving him permanently scarred and with a problem with one hand.

"The assault occurred after he apparently failed to repay a minor debt. It would appear to be a premeditated act on your part."

Jim Stephenson, defending, said Gray, who will be supervised for three years on release, hoped to take an anger management course in prison.