Blade thug who tried to murder tourists outside Edinburgh Apex Hotel facing life in jail

A blade thug who tried to murder two female tourists outside an Edinburgh Hotel is facing being locked up for life.

Peter Cameron repeatedly stabbed the visitors from Belfast in Northern Ireland in the "frenzied” attack outside the Apex Hotel on Grassmarket.

A judge has now ruled that Cameron meets the risk factors for an Order for Lifelong Restriction.

Peter Cameron. Pic: Police Scotland

On Tuesday, Lady Scott ordered that he must undergo a compulsory assessment by a forensic expert.

She warned Cameron at the High Court in Livingston that if he refused to co-operate the report would be compiled from existing medical and criminal records.

She highlighted the fact that Cameron had previously failed to engage with social workers and psychiatrists preparing background reports.

Brutal Assault

Police sealed the hotel off following the attack. Pic: JPI Media.

A jury earlier heard that Cameron approached the women – aged 60 and 58 – as they were having a cigarette outside their hotel in the early hours of the morning on November 8, 2018.

Moments later the 38-year-old returned with a knife and without provocation brutally assaulted both women.

He stabbed Bernadette Lester 10 times in a four-second burst of violence.

He then stabbed her friend Gillian Clarke twice in the cheek, injuring her tongue and causing her to choke on her own blood.

Police later said the women’s injuries could have been much more serious had a 37-year-old male Neil Robertson from the hotel not come to their aid.

Deferring sentence until 13 January 2020, Lady Scott told Cameron on Tuesday: “Having regard to the seriousness of this case; the degree of violence inflicted and the nature of that violence, and your history of violence, I’ve decided to get a risk assessment for an Order for Lifelong Restriction.”

She said the accused’s possible psychiatric history and possible association with drugs and substance abuse raised concerns about his management upon release.

“I hereby order a risk assessment to be produced by a forensic expert.

“I continue this diet until 13 January 2020 to consider the report that’s been made and consider further submissions on your behalf."