An early morning meeting to settle a debt ended in bloodshed when a man was stabbed three times on the leg in Inverness.
Liam Munro was attacked by his former boss, 42-year-old Keith Robertson, as he sat in a car, accompanied by two of his friends.
Robertson, of Towerhill Drive in Inverness, had gone to the meeting in his vehicle armed with two knives and used one of them to stab Mr Munro.
He leaned over the front seat towards Mr Munro who was in the back seat, and attempted to stab his victim, before striking him repeatedly on the leg.
The wounds were not serious but required hospital treatment and stitching.
Robertson appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday on the day of his scheduled jury trial and instructed his solicitor, Patrick O’Dea, to plead guilty to a charge of assault to injury by stabbing in Dalmore Place, Culloden on August 6 last year.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley said: “Mr Munro and two friends arranged to meet Robertson at Dalmore Place and when they arrived, Robertson was there waiting for them.”
Ms Molley said Robertson went to the car and the assault took place, adding: “One of the other two men pulled Robertson out of the vehicle and Mr Munro fled. Police were called to the disturbance and two knives were found in the footwell of Robertson’s car.
“A forensic examination of the other care reported a number of incisions on the fabric of the rear seat and blood staining on the armrest, centre console and rear footwell.
“Mr Munro was traced to his home address and taken to Raigmore Hospital. He sustained three knifewounds to his leg. The wounds were not deep and there was no damage to the underlying structures.”
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood called for a background report and deferred sentence until November 10.