Inverness knife attacks leave teenagers - including one from Evanton - facing time behind bars

Two teenagers are facing custodial sentences after admitting knife attacks on two youths in Inverness last year which left their victims bleeding heavily.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that 18-year-old Calvin Abbott and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried to rob a 17-year-old youth of his hooded top at the Raining Stairs car park on the afternoon of November 7, 2023.

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Their target was slashed on the neck with a Stanley knife by the 16-year-old.

The attack came just weeks after Abbott, of Novar Crescent, Evanton stabbed another youth on the legs and arms in the early hours of August 20, 2023 in Church Street.

Abbott had chased that victim from a property in Union Street following an argument, struck him on the legs with a blade after he fell down and made two further slashing movements.

Fiscal depute Susan Love said that Abbott had been goaded by the complainer and the attack was filmed on CCTV.

The casualty was able to phone for an ambulance but it was police who arrived shortly afterwards that 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 man suffered lacerations to his forearms, two stab wounds to his right leg and one to the left - the injuries requiring surgery.

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 that a youth who again can't be named, 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.

However the court heard it was a different youth that the 16-year-old stabbed 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 the High Street where passers-by called police and an ambulance.

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.

The knife was later recovered and 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."

The 16-year-old asked where his victim had been stabbed.

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, advice from the Children's Panel for the 16-year-old, and both were remanded.