A Balaclava-clad knifeman terrorised teenagers celebrating the New Year when he gatecrashed a party and stabbed a man in a brutal revenge attack.
Paul Brady was “acting like a mobster enforcer” as he kicked, punched and knifed Anthony Christie at the flat in Aberdeen.
The 21-year-old was jailed for 30 months yesterday at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after admitting assaulting Mr Christie to his severe injury and to the danger of his life.
Mr Christie had been at a party held by friend Keisha McGillivray at the city’s Northsea Court on Hogmanay.
The court heard that, at about 2am on New Year’s Day, Mr Christie had argued with another man and gone outside to fight.
Shortly thereafter, in apparent “revenge”, Brady and three other men headed round to the flat.
Witnesses reported seeing a black BMW 4×4 “screeching” to a halt outside.
Fiscal depute Vicki Bell said: “A witness saw one man kick the main door in an attempt to gain entrance, and then all four entered the ground floor communal area.
“The male at the front of the group had a silver blade about four inches long in his hand, and he pulled a balaclava on as he entered the lift.”
About 30 people in their late teens and early 20s were at the party, and several heard Brady ask “which one was it?” as he entered the flat.
Brady then pushed Mr Christie into a bedroom, knocked him to the floor with a series of punches and then kicked him as he lay on the ground.
The fiscal added: “About 30 other people were there and information that Brady was in possession of a knife spread quickly, causing panic and resulting in some locking themselves in rooms to protect themselves.”
It was only after Brady left that witnesses noticed blood on a wall near Mr Christie and realised he had been stabbed.
The court heard that a terror-stricken Miss McGillivray shouted “he’s been stabbed, he’s been stabbed” to her guests.
A doctor described the victim as suffering “a horizontal puncture wound to the centre of his back, close to his spine”.
Police later viewed CCTV footage which showed Brady putting on the balaclava.
His lawyer, Gregor Kelly, said the accused had taken steps to address his behaviour since being locked up in January.
Sheriff Philip Mann told Brady: “This was a very alarming situation, you were acting like some sort of mobster enforcer.
“You set out to cause injury, you carried a knife and knew you were going to use it.
“The consequences could have been utterly tragic.”
