Violent Attack Over Parking Space
A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after stabbing his neighbour multiple times during a violent confrontation that began as a dispute over a parking space.
Stephen McAulay attacked James Duncan outside his home in the Carntyne area of Glasgow on May 13, 2024, leaving the victim with what the judge described as "truly life-changing injuries".
Court Hearing Reveals Brutal Details
The High Court in Glasgow heard how the two men had initially argued about parking on their road earlier in the day. Despite receiving what was described as a "modest injury to his face" during the first confrontation, McAulay would not let the matter rest.
Later that same evening, McAulay went to Mr Duncan's home armed with a knife and provoked another confrontation in the victim's garden and on the street.
Judge Lord Young dismissed McAulay's claim that he had taken the knife for self-defence, stating: "You went looking for your victim to continue the argument, and you took a knife with you that you were prepared to use."
Life-Changing Consequences
The attack left Mr Duncan requiring emergency surgery for a chest wound, while injuries to his head resulted in what the court described as a "significant" loss of vision.
Lord Young noted that the victim "will struggle to return to work" as a result of the injuries inflicted during the brutal assault.
McAulay admitted attempted murder at the High Court in Glasgow on October 15 and was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, November 18.
The judge acknowledged that McAulay had no previous convictions for violence and that the attack appeared to have been "caused more by intoxication and loss of face than anything else". However, he emphasised that using a knife taken to the scene constituted a "very serious crime" that required a custodial sentence.
McAulay's lawyer, Ross Yuill, described his client's decision to "arm himself with a knife" and confront his neighbour as "inexplicable". He told the court that McAulay was "sorry" for the incident and wished to offer his apologies to the complainant.
McAulay, who appeared in court wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, showed no reaction as he was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
