A jury heard a frantic 999 call in which a stabbing victim described how blood was “squirting” out of him.
A 45-year-old man was knifed repeatedly after being warned to stop selling drugs, Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.
George Smith, 41, a prisoner, was accused of assaulting the man to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
It was alleged the attack happened at the victim's home in Laggan Path, Shotts, on April 21 last year.
However, the case collapsed when he said he couldn’t identify the knifeman.
He could be heard sobbing on the 999 recording that was played to the jury.
The victim told the call handler he had been stabbed “about 20 times”, adding: “My jeans are saturated with blood.
"It’s squirting out of me.”
He said he had wounds to his arms, legs and head, and these were stitched in hospital.
The victime could be heard saying: “Wa**er. I’ll get that bas***d back.”
Giving evidence, he admitted that Smith had left threatening messages on his phone in the days before the stabbing.
The witness stated: “He told me to stop selling drugs. He never said he would stab me. I understood he would pull me up.”
He also said he received a Snapchat message from a friend, warning: “I don’t know what you’ve done, but you’ve done something stupid.
"You better see George and sort it out.”
After the victim insisted he did not know who had attacked him, the Crown said it would not proceed with the case.
Sheriff Ray Small told Smith, who had been held in custody ahead of the trial, that he was free to go.
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