A MAN who stabbed two of his friends in a Glasgow nightclub has been jailed for nine years for what a judge described as “a vicious, unprovoked and unexplained attack”.
James McHugh was caught on CCTV as he launched a surprise knife attack on his pals Paul Toland and Joseph Downs in city centre venue 69 Below.
Giving evidence, McHugh’s pals failed to identify McHugh as their attacker when they were shown the incriminating footage.
However, after viewing the same CCTV images, a jury returned unanimous verdicts finding McHugh guilty of attempting to murder Mr Toland and of assaulting Mr Downs to his severe injury.
When McHugh appeared for sentenced yesterday Jim Wallace, defending, told the High Court at Livingston that he still protested his innocence but accepted the verdicts of the jury.
He said the friendly relationship between McHugh and his two victims had continued since the incident on 23 May 2015.
He said: “He’s been visited by the complainers in Barlinnie, so it appears there is no bad blood between the complainers and the accused. However, that does not retract from the verdict of the jury.
McHugh, 23, of Brodick Square, Bishopbriggs, had denied attempting to murder Mr Toland by repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life.
He also denied stabbing Joseph Downs on the body with the blade to his severe injury.
Passing sentence, judge Lord Clark told McHugh: “You carried out a surprise assault on the first complainer, who was turning away from you.
“You inflicted three penetrating stab wounds to his chest back and arm, one of which caused a haemothorax (pooling of blood inside the chest).
“The injuries will result in permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment and endangered his life.”
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