Knife thugs jailed after stabbing man in stomach in street murder bid
Two armed thugs who brandished knives as they chased a man along the street before stabbing him in a murder bid were jailed for nine years each today.
Corey Taylor and Kevin Kelly pursued their victim before he was wounded in a street attack in Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire. The pair earlier stood trial having denied the attempted murder of Craig Campbell but were found guilty of the crime.
A judge told them at the High Court in Edinburgh: "The jury convicted you of being involved in a concerted attack with weapons which resulted in the attempted murder of one of your victims."
Judge John Morris KC said: "Both of you have atrocious criminal records for violent offending." He told the pair that they represented a danger to the public and in the circumstances a substantial prison sentence was required.
The judge also ordered that they should be under supervision in the community for a further two year period when they will be on licence and can be returned to jail if they breach its conditions.
Taylor and Kelly, both prisoners, were convicted of assaulting and attempting to murder Mr Campbell on December 23 in 2023 at Duncairn Avenue, in Bonnybridge.
They chased him while brandishing knives, attempting to strike him and striking him on the body with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life. The victim was stabbed in the abdomen.
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Taylor, 25, had been freed under three separate bail orders at the time with the most recent granted at Falkirk Sheriff Court three days before the murder bid.
During the trial he maintained that he acted in self defence and under provocation but that was rejected by the jury. The violent pair were also convicted of assaulting a second man, Alan Fulton, on the same day in the same street.
They chased him while brandishing knives during a drink and drug fuelled confrontation. Defence counsel Wendy Culross, for Taylor, said he had "a relevant and concerning record of offending" and it was accepted a significant custodial sentence was inevitable.
She said he very much regretted what occurred and continued to express remorse over it. She told the court that Taylor suffered adverse childhood experiences and added: "He has used substances and alcohol from a young age.
"He was working with addiction services in the community prior to his incarceration." Defence counsel George Gebbie, for Kelly, said the 27-year-old was convicted of attempted murder "in a classic concert situation".
He said it was clear Kelly did not strike any blow to the victim of the crime. The judge made a non harassment order prohibiting them contacting or attempting to contact the victim of the attempted murder indefinitely.
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