A masked knifeman slashed a man’s leg open – exposing the muscle – during a terrifying attack in Aberdeen.
Jack Florence turned up at the address on Marchburn Avenue along with an accomplice, both wearing balaclavas and holding knives.
When their victim answered the door, they immediately entered the property and Florence, 31, repeatedly struck him with a blade, leaving horrific slash wounds.
While in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Florence had to be restrained by GEOAmey security staff who believed he had been passed an item and was trying to conceal it.
The sheriff was forced to adjourn the court while the situation was dealt with.
When the hearing resumed, fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that in the days leading up to the attack, Florence had sent his victim repeated threats on social media, including that he would “chop” him.
The incident itself happened around 8.40am on February 24.
The complainer was socialising with friends inside the Marchburn Avenue address when he heard banging at the door.
Ms Martin said: “The complainer answered the door.
“He was met with the accused and another unidentified suspect.
“They were wearing balaclavas and each holding a knife.
“The accused and the unidentified suspect entered the property.
“The accused repeatedly struck the complainer on the body with the knife.”
Florence and the other male then left, leaving their victim seriously injured.
When police attended they found a “trail of blood” from the hallway leading into the living room.
Paramedics noted the man to have abrasions to his back, a small laceration to his left forearm, and a substantial 5cm-6.5cm wound to his lower left leg.
The leg wound exposed the muscle within and was assessed as needing surgery to close, with significant risk of infection and potential loss of the limb if untreated.
Despite this, the victim refused to attend hospital, only allowing the paramedics to dress the wounds there.
However, the following day, he did decide to go to hospital and it was discovered he had also fractured his leg and had damage to the tendons.
Ms Martin told the court: “He received surgery, during which the damage to his tendons was repaired and the fracture was stabilised with plates and a screw.
“He was given a cast to wear on his ankle for six weeks.
Knifeman is reading the bible in prison
“He has a scar as a result of this injury.”
Florence, a prisoner of HMP Glenochil, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement, as well as possession of a knife.
Defence agent Tony Burgess said the spark that caused the bad blood had been “the removal, by the complainer, of various items from Mr Florence’s house”.
He told the court Florence, a father, had been with a friend when they spotted a van they knew their victim had been driving and decided to “confront” him.
He added: “My understanding is the complainer is no stranger to the courts.”
Mr Burgess said Florence had been using drugs which caused him paranoia and a “propensity to deal with issues in a violent manner”.
The lawyer said Florence had run a dog breeding and training business but had “all but lost” it due to being remanded in custody.
He added that Florence had taken to reading the bible while in prison and was learning about the moral messages within.
Sheriff Andrew Miller ordered Florence to be jailed for two years, with a further one-year supervised release order.
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