by Craig Borland

A CLYDEBANK woman who stabbed her partner with a pair of scissors in a row over money has been handed the lightest possible punishment by a court.

Sarah Murphy was admonished for the attack on her partner at his home in Dumbarton Road last year in what the presiding sheriff admitted was a “highly unusual step”.

Murphy, 41, of Dalgarroch Avenue, appeared in the dock for sentencing on Friday after pleading guilty to injuring her partner by striking him repeatedly on the body with a pair of scissors and a knife.

Sentence had been deferred until Friday for a social work report to be obtained – and that report proved crucial in persuading the sheriff to give Murphy an admonition.

Fiscal depute Martina McGuigan said the incident had arisen after an argument over money in relation to Murphy’s partner’s relationship with his ex-wife.

Ms McGuigan told Dumbarton Sheriff Court: “The accused entered the bedroom and words were exchanged.

“She went to the side of the bed and removed a pair of small scissors, and whilst shouting at him, proceeded to stab the complainer on the upper arm, causing a puncture wound.”

Ms McGuigan said Murphy’s partner had locked himself in the bathroom for a few minutes, and when he emerged, Murphy had run at him holding a serrated knife.

“He put his left hand up to block her,” Ms McGuigan continued, “and the accused then struck the witness on the hand, causing a laceration.”

Murphy’s solicitor, Judith Reid, said the couple’s relationship had ended as a result of the incident, but that it had since resumed, and that Murphy’s partner had spoken “at length” to social workers in support of her.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told Murphy: “I can see even looking at you just now that your actions almost precisely a year ago have had a very serious effect on you.

“Matters have moved forward. You have reacted sensibly, even though you did not act sensibly.

“The normal approach a court would take to someone who picks up any weapons and uses those to inflict injury would be to consider sending that person to prison.

“In this case, instead of going to that end of the spectrum, I intend to go to the other end of the spectrum.”