Eight years in jail for carrying out acid attack

Two men have each been jailed for eight years after carrying out an acid attack at a flat in Abronhill.
The High Court in AberdeenThe High Court in Aberdeen
The High Court in Aberdeen

Stephen Hose (23), Jake McLaughlin (26) and David Abernethy (22) were assaulted in Oak Road after they went outside at a party in October 2017 when the door was kicked in.

Steven Marshall (22) yelled ‘skoosh him’ or ‘skoosh them’ and James Smith (24) sprayed a bottle of high strength acid over the three friends.

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Mr Hose was left with scars at his right eye and mouth, Mr McLaughlin had burns to his legs, an arm and the back of his head while Mr Abernethy was burnt on one arm.

Marshall and Smith, who the court heard were at the flat to collect a £1000 drug debt, denied any involvement in the attack, but were convicted by a jury at Glasgow High Court in February.

Sentencing the pair at the High Court in Aberdeen, Lord Clark said: The use of acid to attack people is cruel and barbaric and can have particularly damaging consequences, physical and psychological, for the victims.

“It must be treated as a very serious form of assault. It must attract custodial sentences of a level that will impose an appropriate punishment, mark the gravity of your crimes, and seek to deter you and others from conducting such terrible attacks. The sentences must also be proportionate.

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“In relation to each of you, I have had regard to all that has been said on your behalf. I have also considered and taken into account for each of you the terms of the Criminal Justice Social Work report.

“I note that neither of you accept responsibility for any part in the offences. You each have previous convictions, but these do not concern any analogous offences. For each of you I have also had taken into account your age and your personal circumstances.”

Lord Clark stated that had he been jailing either man in respect of only one of the three charges he would have imposed a imposed a custodial term of four years, but felt an aggregate sentence of 12 years was excessive so ‘balancing all of the factors’ sentenced both to eight years.

The sentence for both Marshall and Smith will be backdated to February 18 of this year they were first remanded in custody.