Two teenagers are facing custodial sentences after admitting two different knife attacks in Inverness.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that 18-year-old Calvin Abbott and a 16-year-old boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons – slashed the neck of another teenager and tried to steal his hoodie.
That vicious attack – on November 7 2023 – came just months after Abbott, of Novar Crescent, Evanton, stabbed a second youth on the legs and arms.
Abbott had chased his victim from a property in Union Street following an argument, then slashed him on the legs with a blade after he fell down.
Fiscal depute Susan Love said that Abbott had been goaded by the complainer and the attack – in the early hours of August 20 2023 in Church Street – was filmed on CCTV.
Abbott’s victim was able to phone for an ambulance but it was police who took him to hospital, Ms Love added.
Abbott was traced just over an hour later by police in Post Office Lane and arrested. The injured youth suffered lacerations to his forearms, two stab wounds to his right leg and one to the left.
Chilling threats
Ms Love told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald that five days before the November 7 attack, the 16-year-old was in the company of social workers when he made threats to another youth.
The boy said the target of these threats would be “getting sliced, taking his eyeballs out and carving his name into his forehead”.
Ms Love said the social workers took these threats to be genuine.
Turning to the attack on November 7, Ms Love said the 16-year-old stabbed the other boy in the back of his neck after he and Abbott tried to take his designer hoodie off him.
The 17-year-old victim, who later required two stitches to the wound, managed to escape onto High Street where passers-by called police and an ambulance.
‘Fly with the crows, get shot with the crows’
The Stanley knife was discarded on a grassy area near the car park before the duo made off, only to be arrested later by police in Lochalsh Road after a short chase.
When Abbott was originally charged with attempted murder along with his co-accused, he told officers: “I didn’t do anything. Fly with the crows, get shot with the crows.”
Abbott admitted assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, possession of a knife and a second charge of assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement, danger of life and attempted robbery.
The 16-year-old also pleaded guilty to that charge as well as one of threatening behaviour and possessing a knife.
Sentence was deferred until September 17 for a background report on Abbott and advice from the Children’s Panel for the 16-year-old. Both were remanded.
