Stabbing attack was random says victim

Bryan McCabe, 41, from Leith, had been watching a darts match in Jo’s Bar in Leith Walk when he was attacked by a man who plunged a kitchen knife into his eye and neck shortly before 9.30pm last Monday.

His fate now lies in the hands of an eye surgeon who will tell him whether he can return to work or even ever play darts again.

Gary Welch, 24, appeared in court yesterday after being arrested and charged by police with attempted  murder.

Care assistant Mr McCabe was rushed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and was later transferred to St John’s Hospital in Livingston, where he underwent surgery.

Despite the best efforts of doctors, Mr McCabe, who also received six staples in a neck wound, has been left blind in his left eye as a result of the unprovoked attack.

The father to ten-month-old, eight-year old and 11-year-old girls said: “I had gone to Jo’s Bar at 7.15pm with two mates to play darts.

“I finished my darts match at around 9.30pm and walked over to the bar to get my pint. Next thing I know someone stabbed me in the left eye. It happened so quick that I didn’t even realise that he also stabbed me in the neck.”

He added: “There was mayhem after this, blood was spurting out of my eye and neck, it was everywhere.

“Fortunately, due to my work, I know about first aid so I was telling my mates to keep pressure on my neck. I really did think I was a goner.

“My friends were brilliant. There was a lot, and I mean a lot, of pain.

“It feels so unreal that it happened. I should be dead really but it’s hard to feel lucky given that I was so unlucky to have been picked out in the first place.”

“I was stood in the wrong place at the wrong time, it could have been anyone in the bar. I’m left blind in one eye and for what? He has altered my life forever.

“All I care about is my partner, my kids and my family plus a few quiet pints and a game of darts with my pals. Now I’m left on a load of painkillers and  antibiotics.

“To be honest, I’m even scared to leave the house. I’m meeting with an eye surgeon later this week to find out the full extent of the damage and whether I can return to work. I don’t know if I’ll ever play darts again.

“My partner has been shocked and horrified by the randomness of the whole thing. On that night I left to play darts and now here I am blind in one eye.”