Man nearly died after 'shouting match' over loud music at hostel

Michael Muir needed emergency surgery to stem the bleeding from stab wounds to his back, which also punctured a lung.

Yesterday, the 28-year-old told the High Court in Edinburgh: "I felt like I was a goner".

Police officers found Mr Muir lying and groaning in a street in Gorebridge with Sean Wilson trying to staunch the blood with a towel.

The court heard that PC Ross Young said he asked the first aider if he knew who had attacked Mr Muir and Wilson replied: "It was me."

Wilson went on to claim that he had struck out because Mr Muir had indecently assaulted a girl living in the hostel in Hunterfield Road - an allegation which Mr Muir described as "nonsense." Wilson, 21, of Gorebridge, denied attempting to murder Mr Wilson last December 3.

Yesterday, a jury found him guilty of a reduced charge of assaulting Mr Muir to the danger of his life.

The allegation that the knife attack was attempted murder was deleted from the charge after the jury told Judge Michael O'Grady QC that they thought Wilson was acting under provocation.

Mr Muir, giving evidence, agreed he might have had a dart in his hand when he went to complain about the music blasting from the hostel room.

He said Wilson, a guest in the room, started giving him abuse, saying: "I had a bit of a shouting match with him." Mr Muir continued: "The next thing I realised there was a knife. I put my hands up to protect my face and felt a sharp sensation in the back, twice."

After the jury returned a majority verdict, the court heard that Wilson had previous convictions for a serious assault, using a bottle as a weapon and for "culpable and reckless conduct" involving a petrol bomb.

Judge O'Grady said Wilson's record caused him some concern and called for background reports.

Last December, the hostel's owner told how Mr Muir banged on a nearby door, covered in blood, before collapsing.

Billy Hogg, owner of B&N Mini Market on Hunterfield Road, said: "The people who live in the house where the man went for help told me that he was banging on their door saying, 'Help me, I have been stabbed'. "When they opened the door he was covered in blood."

Mother-of-one Nicky Clark, who has lived in Gorebridge for 11 years, told the Evening News at the time, added: "This is just typical of Gorebridge. I am concerned - I have a son who's 11. The more things that go on in this village, the more I want to move away."

Wilson was remanded in custody pending sentence in Glasgow on September 1.