Stabbing after drug and drink binge

Hogg had been on a drugs binge before the attack

Alexander Hogg’s victim had earlier told him to go home as was “being an a--ehole” and he did not want to be in his company.

But later that night Hogg (34) ran towards Connor Murray in the street and stabbed him in the shoulder. The victim suffered a collapsed lung and a CT scan showed air around his heart.

Mr Murray spent eight days in hospital following the attack.

Lord Burns told Hogg at the High Court in Edinburgh: “This was apparently an unprovoked assault on Mr Murray which came close to killing him and he suffered badly in the aftermath of this.

“You were armed with a knife. You were drunk and under the influence of cocaine. The combination of these substances plus your condition was obviously a dangerous one.

“You are assessed as a high risk of re-offending and I consider that an appropriate assessment.”

The judge said that there was no alternative to custody for his latest offending.

Hogg, of Midfield Road, Coalburn, earlier admitted assaulting Mr Murray to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of his life by struggling with him and striking him with a knife on September 14 last year at the South Lanarkshire village’s Beechmount Avenue.

He also admitted breaching bail on October 5 by entering Coalburn and walking past Mr Murray’s home making a stabbing gesture after he was freed at Lanark Sheriff Court on September 19. Hogg also admitted resisting arrest on October 5 in Larkhall and behaving in a threatening way.

The court heard that on the night of the knife attack Mr Murray had gone to a friend’s home. Hogg also attended and they were drinking, but after a disagreement Mr Murray told Hogg to go home. Mr Murray also later left but returned believing that Hogg would have left by then.

Defence counsel Louise Arrol said Hogg’s recollection of events from the attack was “pretty poor”.

She said: “On the day in question he had been on a cocaine binge for 24 hours. He was in possession of a weapon and he used that weapon on the complainer. He has demonstrated some remorse in respect of his actions.”

She added: “His recollection of events is completely skewed by his consumption of cocaine and alcohol.”