Nwicker60
28-Apr-15, 17:48
Victim wants to retain limited friendship with attacker
A MIDDLE-AGED woman who was driven by "voices in her head" to attack her friend with an electric carving knife has been remitted to the High Court for sentence.
Giving his decision, Wick Sheriff Andrew Berry stressed that the main reason for it, was that a fuller risk assessment on Acacia Morgan could be carried out.
Morgan, 51, pleaded guilty on indictment to assaulting her friend Joanne Campbell at their home in High Street in Keiss, on December 13, last year, to her injury and permanent disfigurement. The court was today told that Ms Campbell wanted to retain the friendship of the accused but not in close proximity.
Prior to the bizarre incident, it had been "an unremarkable evening" with the pair watching television. Ms Campbell remembered going upstairs to bed and falling asleep after taking her medication.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that Ms Campbell remembered waking up with a sore hand and neck and falling asleep again. Police found her asleep in an upstairs bedroom with an injury to her neck and surrounded by "large quantities of blood"
Morgan, who telephoned the police telling them that she had been trying to cut her friend's throat and "was frightened she might do something further".
was located at the top of the stairs.
Mr Barclay told the court that the accused didn't say anything, but told officers at the charge bar at Wick police station later: "It was me...the voices told me to do it".
The fiscal said there was no question of the two woman having fallen out and added: "Morgan said there were constant voices in her head and made mention of them driving her crazy." She had spent most of that day in her room "attempting to ignore the voices" before going downstairs to the kitchen cupboard to get an electric carving knife purchased a short time before, for normal domestic use.
Morgan took the knife upstairs and plugged it in, in Ms Campbell's room and then proceeded to cut down her friend's neck.
Mr Barclay: "When she accused saw the blood, she realised what she had done, she made sure there was a towel round her friend's neck before phoning the police."
The fiscal said yesterday that following inquiries, he had been able to ascertain that Ms Campbell wished to retain some contact and friendship with the accused but with some restriction that would afford her an element of protection.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald referred to the psychiatric and psychological reports before the court, which had been discussed with the accused. She had agreed that further investigation might be required regarding a risk assessment being conducted on her."
Sheriff Andrew Berry agreed and said such inquiries had to be carried out by the High Court. and added: "It seems to me that should be done in the interests of justice." The sheriff stressed that it did not mean his sentencing powers were inadequate.
He told dapper, bespetecled, Morgan who came into the dock supported by an elbow crutch, that the medical reports had been very helpful and added: " The doctors think it would be appropriate that a further assessment should be carried out. I think it is absolutely the right decision. I would have been drawn to the same conclusion. It may be that any prison sentence imposed would fall well within a period that I would myself would have imposed."
Morgan was remanded in custody pending her appearance at the High Court. Ms Campbell waved to her from the public benches as she was led from the dock.
A MIDDLE-AGED woman who was driven by "voices in her head" to attack her friend with an electric carving knife has been remitted to the High Court for sentence.
Giving his decision, Wick Sheriff Andrew Berry stressed that the main reason for it, was that a fuller risk assessment on Acacia Morgan could be carried out.
Morgan, 51, pleaded guilty on indictment to assaulting her friend Joanne Campbell at their home in High Street in Keiss, on December 13, last year, to her injury and permanent disfigurement. The court was today told that Ms Campbell wanted to retain the friendship of the accused but not in close proximity.
Prior to the bizarre incident, it had been "an unremarkable evening" with the pair watching television. Ms Campbell remembered going upstairs to bed and falling asleep after taking her medication.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that Ms Campbell remembered waking up with a sore hand and neck and falling asleep again. Police found her asleep in an upstairs bedroom with an injury to her neck and surrounded by "large quantities of blood"
Morgan, who telephoned the police telling them that she had been trying to cut her friend's throat and "was frightened she might do something further".
was located at the top of the stairs.
Mr Barclay told the court that the accused didn't say anything, but told officers at the charge bar at Wick police station later: "It was me...the voices told me to do it".
The fiscal said there was no question of the two woman having fallen out and added: "Morgan said there were constant voices in her head and made mention of them driving her crazy." She had spent most of that day in her room "attempting to ignore the voices" before going downstairs to the kitchen cupboard to get an electric carving knife purchased a short time before, for normal domestic use.
Morgan took the knife upstairs and plugged it in, in Ms Campbell's room and then proceeded to cut down her friend's neck.
Mr Barclay: "When she accused saw the blood, she realised what she had done, she made sure there was a towel round her friend's neck before phoning the police."
The fiscal said yesterday that following inquiries, he had been able to ascertain that Ms Campbell wished to retain some contact and friendship with the accused but with some restriction that would afford her an element of protection.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald referred to the psychiatric and psychological reports before the court, which had been discussed with the accused. She had agreed that further investigation might be required regarding a risk assessment being conducted on her."
Sheriff Andrew Berry agreed and said such inquiries had to be carried out by the High Court. and added: "It seems to me that should be done in the interests of justice." The sheriff stressed that it did not mean his sentencing powers were inadequate.
He told dapper, bespetecled, Morgan who came into the dock supported by an elbow crutch, that the medical reports had been very helpful and added: " The doctors think it would be appropriate that a further assessment should be carried out. I think it is absolutely the right decision. I would have been drawn to the same conclusion. It may be that any prison sentence imposed would fall well within a period that I would myself would have imposed."
Morgan was remanded in custody pending her appearance at the High Court. Ms Campbell waved to her from the public benches as she was led from the dock.