Man jailed for street stabbing that led to false online rumours

The incident happened in King Street in August last year

A man who stabbed a 21-year-old woman in a "life-endangering" attack in Stirling street has been jailed for six years.

Callum Fisher, 30, attacked his victim after a verbal exchange with the woman and her friends in the city's King Street in August last year.

The incident led to First Minister John Swinney warning against speculation on social media after false claims that three people were stabbed by a Muslim man.

First offender Fisher admitted a charge of attempted murder at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Judge Lord Scott told him: "You were carrying a knife for no good reason and used it with no justification whatsoever."

The court was told that the woman was heading to a bar with friends when they became aware of an unknown male in the vicinity.

Advocate depute Alasdair Shaw said there was then an "exchange" between the young women and Fisher.

Fisher was jailed for six years at the High Court in Edinburgh

Fisher had asked them: "Do you think you are funny?", which the women laughed off, but he walked towards them and said: "I will stab you."

The prosecutor said they did not think it was a serious comment and thought that he was joking.

Fisher continued to follow them and when the victim asked him to leave them alone, he produced a knife from a jacket pocket and stabbed the woman.

Mr Shaw said: "She felt a sharp pain and fell to the ground. She felt her stomach was bleeding."

Fisher then walked off through the city centre while witnesses rushed to help the woman and emergency services were contacted.

Mr Shaw said: "She was in a state of distress, believing that she would die."

Doctors found that the knife wound had caused damage to her liver, but she did not require surgery.

Defence counsel Drew McKenzie KC said there was evidence of "some element of goading" prior to the attack.

He told the court: "He (Fisher) did indicate to me that so far as the complainer was concerned he was sorry for his actions."

Following the incident, Police Scotland issued a statement to confirm the attacker was a white male from the local area.

The first minister said at the time: "I would encourage everyone to refrain from unhelpful speculation on social media."

The rumour had been promoted online by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, the founder of the English Defence League (EDL).