A 17-year-old stabbed a stranger in Edinburgh after an argument involving a Harry Potter reference. The victim suffered severe injuries.
The 17-year-old cannot be named. He argued with Liam McKechnie at a Princes Street bus stop. The teen wore black glasses at the time.
The prosecutor said they engaged in a verbal fight. The teen then stabbed McKechnie. The prosecutor mentioned a Harry Potter reference during the altercation.
McKechnie told the teen, “Calm down Harry Potter.” At that point, the fight escalated. The teen took out a knife and stabbed McKechnie in the torso. McKechnie and his friends didn’t immediately realize he was hurt. People tried to stop the fight as glasses fell to the ground.
McKechnie felt chest pain. He lifted his shirt and discovered a stab wound. He showed his friends, saying he had been stabbed.
The teen admitted to repeatedly stabbing McKechnie. This caused severe injury and disfigurement. It also endangered McKechnie’s life. The prosecutor said McKechnie and his friends were out at the bus stop around 12:45 AM.
They didn’t know the teen, meeting him around 12:47 AM. Investigators couldn’t determine the initial cause of the fight. They did confirm the Harry Potter comment.
One witness told detectives about the remark. The witness said it angered the teen. Witnesses agreed the argument escalated and turned physical.
The fight moved from the bus stop. McKechnie was stabbed again at 12:55 AM. The teen then ran toward Market Street. McKechnie reported he couldn’t breathe.
An ambulance arrived quickly, and McKechnie was taken to the hospital. Doctors removed his spleen. The prosecutor stated the injuries were severe and that surgery saved his life.
McKechnie has permanent scars from both the stabs and the surgery. The injuries were inflicted by a sharp object.
Police investigated and arrested the teen on March 20. The teen had no prior record. The defense lawyer asked the judge to continue bail. Sentencing will happen later this year.
The lawyer said this case highlights the dangers of knives. He acknowledged the gravity of the situation given the high court setting. The court is considering detention, said the defense lawyer.
If granted bail, his mother will take him for an interview. A social worker will prepare a report. The lawyer asked the court to consider all available options, suggesting that the teen is now very different.
The judge continued bail. He ordered a social work report. He cautioned the teen not to “read anything” into the granting of bail.
The judge stated that detention was almost certain. He emphasized the seriousness of the crime. Bail does not change that fact.
Sentencing will take place on April 1, 2025. It will be at the High Court in Edinburgh.