A STUDENT has been jailed after he slashed his brother’s throat with a tea-cup during a family reunion, scarring him for life.
Gary Stringer, 23, was meeting up with his estranged sibling, David McGill, following seven years without speaking.
But the 19-year-old was left soaked in his own blood and the massive gash needed 13 stitches to close after Stringer punched him while holding a porcelain cup.
Mr McGill has been left with a two-inch scar across his neck and will be permanently disfigured.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court Stringer was jailed for 16 months after he had earlier admitted the attack.
He will also be subject to an eight-month supervised release order after he gets out of prison.
Fiscal depute Aiden Higgins had earlier told the court how the two men had recently made-up following seven years of not speaking to each other before the attack in May last year.
As part of their new friendship Stringer invited Mr McGill to his Stevenson Drive flat in Edinburgh for a drink.
The siblings – who share a father – were joined by two females and enjoyed a night of drinks and listening to music.
At around 3am Stringer headed to his bed while McGill continued to entertain the two females.
But when the elder brother could not sleep he returned from bed and demanded the noise be kept down.
Mr McGill replied: “What was the point in inviting us if you were going to moan about it?”
At this the two men went to the communal stair of the flat and continued to “niggle” each other.
Mr Higgins said: “When they got to the landing the complainer started to become aggressive to Stringer and in response to what the thought was an imminent attack the accused swung out at the complainer’s face.
“In the hand he swung out with was a porcelain cup.”
Mr Higgins said Mr McGill tried to dodge the blow but the cup caught him on the throat, smashing and opening a horrific gash on his neck.
An ambulance was called and and police also arrived at the scene.
Stringer immediately told them: “It was me mate, I hit him with a cup on the neck.”
He claimed he had not realised the cup was in his hand and never intended to injure his brother so badly.
Both men were raced to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Mr McGill was then taken to St John’s Hospital in Livingston for surgery and his neck required 13 stitches.
Meanwhile fragments of the smashed cup were picked from the hand of Stringer.
Mr Higgins said the depth of the cut meant Mr McGill would be left with a two-inch scar for life.
Sheriff Isobel Poole told Stringer – who is studying at Stevenson College in Edinburgh – that the attack had to be met with a jail sentence.
She said: “There are undoubtedly mitigating factors but you pled guilty to a very serious assault and you have a previous conviction for a relatively recent one for assault to injury.
“I have concluded that a custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal.”
