Man’s finger sliced off in attack and flushed down the toilet

A man’s finger was sliced off and flushed down the toilet in a brutal attack with a hand-made weapon.

• Victim left with multiple wounds which left skull and shin bones exposed.

• Handmade weapon was large pole with blade taped to the end.

James Grieve, 35, was attacked in his home in Glenrothes, Fife, and he rolled up in a ball on the floor to try to protect himself from the onslaught, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.

His assailant, Stephen Gilmartin, 40, of Gateside, Fife, inflicted multiple wounds to the head, body and limbs, some of which exposed the skull and shin bone.

The attack had followed “a general background of disagreements” between the men and their respective partners.

The advocate-depute, Pino Di Emidio, said the weapon used by Gilmartin had been a pole about four feet in length with a blade attached to the end with tape.

“It is described as an old-fashioned ‘lopper’ by witnesses,” he added. Loppers were tools used to prune small trees.

“Gilmartin realised he had sliced off part of the complainer’s finger...the small finger of the left hand, cut straight through at the joint. He was heard to shout, ‘Just grab it and flush it down the toilet.’ It is unclear which other party actually flushed the partially severed finger away, but the accused instructed this to be done,” added Mr Di Emidio.

Gilmartin admitted assaulting Mr Grieve to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment. He will be sentenced next month.