Kids saw dad stab mum

Published 16 Dec 2009 16:39 Comments 1 Comment

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By court reporter

A VIOLENT dad stabbed his partner repeatedly after accusing her of having an affair.

Knife-weilding Alan Cuthbertson was jailed after the frenzied attack, which left the woman permanently scarred.

The couple's two teenage children dialled 999 after coming into the room and seeing their mother being slashed as she lay on the couch.

Cutherbertson's sentencing came in the same week that Strathclyde Police launched its annual festive domestic violence campaign.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard yesterday (Tuesday) that the Johnstone couple - who had been together 19 years - had enjoyed an evening meal together on March 20, but Cuthbertson had suddenly become bad tempered.

He took a bottle of wine upstairs then returned and accused his partner of being unfaithful.

Rebecca Hoskins, prosecuting, said: "The complainer denied she had been having an affair and the accused went into the kitchen and returned with a large knife and as she was lying on the couch, he began to stab and slash her.

"It was when she screamed out in horror that the teenagers came into the room and saw what was happening and immediately called for the police and an ambulance."

When officers arrived at the couple's home, they found the accused siting on the arm of a chair as his badly injured partner lay on the sofa covered in blood.

When quizzed by police, Cuthbertson, 46, confessed: "I'll tell you the truth. We had a disagreement and I stabbed her with the knife. I'm sorry."

The victim was rushed to Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital for treatment to wounds to her left thigh, left upper arm and right forearm, two of which were so deep that muscle was visible.

The court heard that she will be left permanently scarred.

Jonathan Manson, defending, told Sheriff Susan Sinclair that his client, a first offender, had suffered a breakdown at the time of the offence and had been receiving treatment ever since.

He said: "He signed himself in to Dykebar Hospital and was kept in there for weeks.

"When I spoke to him he was genuinely distraught about what had happened and shocked about what he had done.

"He has had long-standing alcohol abuse issues and is deeply ashamed and genuinely remorseful for what he did.

"He had been in very low mood at the time but realised he required assistance and immediately sought help."

Sheriff Sinclair had previously deferred sentence for background reports and when the accused returned to court to learn his fate, she was shown a letter of support from his daughters who were said to be 'appalled and distraught' at the thought of him being sent to jail.

There was no hope of any reconciliation with his ex-partner, she was told.

Cuthbertson, who had been living at Ryefield Avenue, Johnstone, was told that although his solicitor had made a very strong case for her to consider alternatives to custody, there could be no alternative sentence.

She said: "This was a very serious case of domestic abuse on your ex-partner in which she suffered nasty injuries and permanent disfigurement."

Cuthbertson, of Tannahill Crescent, was jailed for 18 months, reduced from two years due to his early guilty plea.

This article appeared in The Gazette 16 Dec 09

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karen taylor
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Dec 16, 20:17
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what he done was disgusting and 18 months is never enough for what he done and what he put his family through!! he has scarred that family for life!!

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