Daughters call stepdad 'evil' for corkscrew attack on mum

Published on Thursday 19 November 2009 09:14

THE daughters of a beauty therapist who was repeatedly stabbed in the face with a corkscrew by her husband today called for a judge to "lock him up and throw away the key".

Debra MacLeod, 46, suffered eight stab wounds and had part of her cheek torn away after being held down and savagely attacked in her own home.

Ian MacLeod beat his estranged wife with his fists before rummaging through a cutlery drawer and returning with the corkscrew, saying "this will do", before punching her using the makeshift weapon.

The victim's daughters, Danielle and Melissa Baillie, today branded their 52-year-old stepfather an "evil monster" and a "disgusting beast" after he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday.

Their mother has been disfigured for life due to her injuries and still faces more than ten plastic surgery operations to try to repair the damage.

MacLeod, from Leith, had been accused of attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault to danger of life and now faces a lengthy prison sentence.

The couple had been together for 11 years before the horror attack on 8 August at Mrs McLeod's home in the Thurston Manor Holiday Park in Innerwick, Dunbar, East Lothian. Mrs MacLeod has since divorced him as she seeks to rebuild her life.

Danielle, 22, an assistant office manager from Leith, said: "He's always been a coward and a bully. It's difficult to find the words to say how much we despise him. What he did to our mum was unbelievable and shows what an evil monster he is.

"We've been told to expect he will get at least five years, but he deserves a life sentence. The judge should lock him up and throw away the key. He's a psychotic person and I know he will hurt someone again when he gets out of prison.

"Our mum is lucky to be alive after what he did to her. She has been through so much trauma and knows she will never look like herself again.

"It's difficult to look at her face now as she looks like a different person, but at least he is out of her life and she's a strong person. What has happened was terrible but she's getting on with her life now."

Just a month before the attack, MacLeod had been fined 100 and ordered to pay 50 compensation after admitting domestic assaults on his wife and her two daughters.

The court heard that MacLeod began phoning his wife to say he was sorry and asking if they could get back together.

MacLeod later turned up at her home at the holiday park with a suitcase, and his wife found him asleep in her bed after returning from a night out.

Taking a pair of scissors and a panic alarm to bed in the spare room, Mrs MacLeod woke the next morning and had dressed for work when MacLeod suddenly grabbed her by the throat.

After pinning his wife on the floor, MacLeod – whose violent past earned him the nickname "Bronco" – punched her around 15 times before going to the kitchen and returning with the corkscrew.

Advocate depute Morag Jack, prosecuting, said: "The victim tried to roll on her front but the accused climbed on top of her again. Holding the corkscrew in his hand, he made punching motions at her face. The pain from these stab injuries was intense."

MacLeod fled while his victim was left bleeding heavily, with a large hole gouged in her left cheek and her eyes almost swollen shut. A neighbour, who was a trained nurse, managed to stop her choking on her own blood after finding the victim staggering along the road.

Melissa, 20, a retail worker from Leith, said: "She was unrecognisable when we came to the hospital and saw her. We were told that she had a slim chance of survival after what happened, but she pulled through.

"He's a disgusting beast and our whole family will be in court to watch him get sent away."

MacLeod has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced next month.