Glasgow man jailed over horrific attack on woman

A MAN has been jailed for six years for his part in a horrific attack on a woman who was splashed with boiling water and had her face slashed.

The High Court in Edinburgh. Picture: Greg Macvean

Kieran Campbell, 28, had been hunting the woman’s former lodger to avenge the attempted murder of his brother, but “completely lost the plot” and went for her with two accomplices.

The victim, Charlene McKissock, 32, was left scarred for life, and she continued to suffer nightmares and had been forced to leave Glasgow, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

The judge, Lord Kinclaven, said Campbell, of Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, had a “significant history” of violent offending and, for the protection of the public, he would be supervised for four years at the end of his prison term.

Campbell admitted acting with others in assaulting Ms McKissock to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement at her home in Daisy Street, Glasgow, on 30 July last year.

About four months earlier, Campbell’s brother, Thomas Campbell, 21, had required 48 stitches to his neck and face after an attack with a knife. He refused to co-operate with the police, but it was suspected that Andrew Bonner had been responsible.

Campbell was in jail at the time, but learned of the incident and stated that “something would have to be done”, said the advocate-depute, David Young, QC.

On his release, he went several times to Ms McKissock’s flat, but she said Bonner had not stayed there for about a month, and she did not know where he had gone.

Ms McKissock was sleeping on her couch just after miidnight when her door was forced open, and Campbell entered with two other males. He demanded: “Where’s Andy Bonner?” She repeated that she had not seen him.

Every time Ms McKissock could not answer a question, one of the males swung a kettle of boiling water, causing spurts of water to flick out of the spout and land on her arm and hand. He laughed. Then, he put down the kettle and held a heated iron over her leg and pressed the steam button. Her jogging bottoms helped protect her leg.

Campbell and the others grabbed knives from a block in the kitchen.

“All three returned to the living room and the complainer’s face and neck were slashed with the knives. Campbell was responsible for some if not all of the slashes. He slashed her neck and stated to her, ‘One millimetre deeper and it would have been your jugular.’ He also kicked her twice on her stomach,” said Mr Young.

The men fled the flat, and a “petrified” Ms McKissock called the police and was taken to hospital. She was treated for several cuts to the face and neck which were closed with tissue glue, and for blisters.

“She has some scarring to her face. Although she has moved from Glasgow, she has stated that since the incident she has been nervous about leaving her home, and has nightmares about the incident,”added Mr Young.

The defence solicitor-advocate, John Carroll, said Campbell had felt “frustrated and impotent” at being in jail and unable to help his brother.

“That festered in him until he was released. He did not intend to seek out and attack (Ms McKissock). Unfortunately, he was both drunk and affected by drugs and he just completely lost the plot. He is disgusted with himself, and rightly so. He has sisters and is horrified anyone would attack them in the way he attacked this young lady,” said Mr Carroll.