Paul Mason, aged 24 years old, attempted to murder his friend in an attack which involved alcohol and drugs. He repeatedly struck the victim, Sean Kerrigan, with a weapon to the head and body. 
The case was heard at Edinburgh High Court of Justiciary and Lord Burns stated: “You used a bladed weapon and struck him at least five times with it after he had attacked you”. Lord Burns added that he had used the weapon resulting in ‘devastating effects which could have killed him’
Mason had previously denied the attempted murder. However, he was found guilty by a jury of assaulting Mr Kerrigan to his severe injury and to the danger of his life. He repeatedly punched and kicked him, as well as striking him with a weapon. 
Lord Burns addressed that the jurors had not accepted Mason’s defence that he had acted in self-defence and under provocation. The judge also added that there was no evidence to support the position that the victim had a weapon in his possession. 
A Criminal Justice Social Work Report determined that Mason was of a medium to high risk of further offending. The judge ordered that he be supervised and monitored for a further three-year period. 
Allan Macleod, defending, stated: ‘Prior to this he would have called the victim a friend. There is a recognition that had he not taken the drugs and alcohol prior to this offence then he may have acted in a different way. He added that Mason appeared younger than his age due to his turbulent childhood. 
Lord Burns sentenced Mason to four years imprisonment. 
Cameron Hill, Mason’s co accused, was found guilty of assaulting the man by punching and kicking him. Due to the limited violence and as he had disassociated himself from the offence as it escalated, he was sentenced to a community payback order.