Teenager who stabbed 16-year-old in Johnstone caught after leaving juice bottle at scene

A teenager who brutally stabbed a 16-year-old in an unprovoked attack was arrested after leaving a juice bottle at the scene.

Lewis Brown struck the victim in the chest with a karambit-style curved blade, which is sometimes used in martial arts.

The 19-year-old took a taxi to the scene of the attack and jumped the teenager as he waited for a bus in Johnstone, Renfrewshire on September 13, 2023.

First offender Brown admitted assaulting the youngster causing serious injuries, permanent disfigurement and danger to his life when he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday.

Brown, from Paisley, also Renfrewshire, had been released on bail but was remanded in custody by Judge Lord Cubie.

Sentencing was postponed due to reports.

The 16-year-old – who cannot be identified due to his age – was at the time waiting for a bus to take him to university.

In the meantime, Brown had taken a taxi that lunchtime and asked to be dropped off at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service building in Johnstone.

This was near where the attack took place.

Prosecutor Neil McCulloch said: “The driver noticed during the journey that Brown had his hood up and a scarf over his face.”

When the young thug then got out of the taxi, he was described as “sprinting away”.

The victim was still at the bus stop when he saw Brown and an accomplice running toward him.

He feared he was about to be attacked and backed onto the road.

Mr McCulloch said Brown still had his face covered and was holding the potentially deadly karambit-style knife.

He swung the knife but initially missed. The victim managed to punch Brown in an attempt to get him away.

The thug used the gun again before finally stabbing the boy in the chest.

Mr McCulloch said: “One of the men then shouted: ‘Let’s get out of here before the police come’.”

Mercy crews arrived after a concerned witness called 999.

The boy was bleeding profusely from a single stab wound.

The victim suffered a punctured lung, but was fortunately able to leave the hospital three days later after treatment.

The court ruled that his injury could have been life-threatening if he had not been taken to hospital.

However, he is still scarred for life.

Brown had fled from police after initially being spotted shortly after the stabbing.

Mr McCulloch then explained: “It was confirmed that he was the person responsible after his DNA was recovered from a soft drink bottle that was discarded at the scene.”

Brown eventually turned himself in to police on September 18.

Lord Cubie told Brown: ‘You have pleaded guilty to a very serious offense – an unprovoked knife attack in the middle of the day.

“You attacked and endangered the victim’s life. It seems like it was planned in advance, in a way.

“It was not a spontaneous reaction. You traveled there and apparently chose your victim.

“It is a matter of luck that it is not a more serious accusation. It is clear from the victim impact statement that the consequences have been life-changing and profound.”

Brown will be sentenced in Edinburgh on December 6.