Thugs who tried to kill a 'friend' in Inverness are jailed for 15 years
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Colin Dingwall (21) of Heather Road, Inverness, and Stephen Burns (25) of the city's Woodside Village pounced on Lee Fraser in his home in Friars Street, Inverness, on December 16 last year.
Their brutal attack involved the use of knives, broken bottles and a vacuum cleaner saw their 27-year-old victim was left with horrific injuries – including a fractured skull.
Tied up with a bedsheet and bundled into a cupboard after the attack he was only rescued after a passer-by heard his calls for help and alerted police.
At the high Court in Glasgow Judge Johanna Johnston told the pair: "You each attempted to murder a man who considered you friends. The attack was brutal, callous and sustained and he suffered horrific injuries.
"During the assault you told him he was going to die and left him bundled up in a cupboard in his own home. It was fortunate he was able to call for help. He could have died from his injuries."
Judge Johnston jailed Dingwall and Burns for seven-and-a-half years each and ordered them both to be monitored in the community for two years after their release from jail.
The motive for the violence remains unknown but the duo were at Mr Fraser's flat when Burns lashed out.
Dingwall then joined in as Mr Fraser begged them to stop.
Prosecutor Derick Nelson said: "They remained mostly silent other than to tell Lee Fraser: 'You are going to die today'."
After the attack the pair called a woman to pick them up at a local supermarket.
Dingwall claimed he had to "get out of town" and one of them was later heard during the journey admitting they had "just slashed a male called Lee".
A paramedic who initially treated Mr Fraser said his injuries were "horrific".
Mr Nelson said: "Lee Fraser said he could not walk to the ambulance as his legs and knees were too sore."
He had a host of injuries including skull and nose fractures and the court was told he had since moved out of the Inverness area as he was too scared to return.
Both men, who have lengthy criminal records, had initially insisted they were good friends of Lee and had not attacked him.
But after seeing photographs of his injuries they admitted their guilt.
Solicitor advocate Shahid Latif, representing Dingwall, said: "He is shocked, disgusted and ashamed of his behaviour."
Advocate David Nicolson, for Burns, said: "When he saw the photographs of what he had done he offered a plea."
