Pair found guilty of frenzied attack in Blairgowrie stairwell that left victim ‘covered in blood’

A man was left with a broken cheekbone and soaked in blood following a frenzied attack by a couple who barged into the stairwell of his block of flats in Blairgowrie.

Peter Hamilton tried to defend himself from a volley of kicks and punches as he lay on the floor of the communal hallway.

The horrifying late night assault was partly caught on camera by his adult son.

Footage was passed to police and 26-year-old Keenan Donaldson and Sophie Henvey, 27, were arrested.

The pair denied attacking Mr Hamilton outside his flat in Allan Street in the early hours of August 13 2022.

At their trial at Perth Sheriff Court, they tried to persuade a jury they were acting in self-defence and their victims were armed with a metal baseball bat and a broom.

Jurors took about four hours to find the pair guilty of assaulting Mr Hamilton by kicking and punching him on the head and body to his severe injury.

Henvey was further convicted of assaulting another resident, Nicole Pitcaithly, during the same incident.

The pair, who were in a relationship at the time, were also found guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the common close, making threats of violence.

An allegation the couple assaulted Nikolay Hamilton by putting him a chokehold and repeatedly kicking him was found not proven.

The jury also found that Donaldson was not responsible for “repeatedly” punching Mr Hamilton.

Sentencing was deferred for background reports.

Donaldson, of Burrell Place, Woodside, near Coupar Angus, and first offender Henvey, of Ferguson Park Road, Rattray, were warned they could be jailed.

Unprovoked attack

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told the pair: “You have been convicted of a number of charges perpetrated by you against complainers who should have been safe in their flatted dwellings.

“Your behaviour as described by the witnesses – and as seen in the video footage – is appalling.

“It shows you took it upon yourselves to behave in a threatening, aggressive and violent manner without provocation.

“You caused significant injury, fear and upset as a result.”

The sheriff added: “I will allow you to remain at liberty meantime but please take that as no indication as to what the final disposal will be.”

‘There was blood everywhere’

Shop worker Nicole Pitcaithly, 31, told the jury how she was woken by her door buzzer in the early hours of August 13.

She said her brother got up to investigate.

“After a little while, it got very loud and there was a lot of shouting.”

Ms Pitcaithly followed her brother into the communal stairwell.

“I saw Peter, my neighbour, on the ground covered in blood.

“There was blood everywhere.

“It took me a little while to recognise who it was because there was so much going on – it was all a bit of a blur.”

The witness told how her neighbour was “trying to protect himself” from punches and kicks.

She said Henvey then grabbed her hair and pulled her to the ground.

“When the police arrived they pulled her off of me,” she said.

Identity parade

Mr Hamilton Snr was checked over at Ninewells Hospital.

He suffered swelling to his left eye and face and a swollen nose.

An x-ray revealed he had a bone fracture near his left eye.

In May 2023, he viewed a VIPER – Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording – procession of nine men and nine women and identified Henvey and Donaldson as his attackers.

His son’s mobile phone video showed pandemonium in the communal close.

Henvey is clinging to the main front door, ranting incoherently.

Donaldson then walks towards Mr Hamilton – off camera – and swings a punch at him.

Giving evidence, Donaldson said they had gone into the block to get help for a man they found outside with an injured ear.

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