A man who left his own mother blind in one eye following a savage attack on her has been jailed for 16 months. Jonathan Kempston repeatedly punched mum Dorothy Tough to the face during a violent argument in the family home in Edinburgh last year. The brutal assault left Mrs Tough lying in a pool of blood on her kitchen floor and suffering from a ruptured left eyeball. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the 71-year-old victim has lost the sight in her eye following the attack. Kempston, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting his mother to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment when he appeared at the capital court in May. He returned to the dock for sentencing in June where Sheriff Gillian Sharp said due to the “level of violence involved there is no alternative to a custodial sentence”. Sheriff Sharp sentenced Kempston, of Leith, to 16 months in custody. A victim impact statement from Mrs Tough was read out in court stating she had to have three operations to her eye following the attack by her son. She said she has “adjusted well” to the disability but has to wear an eye patch when out in public. The pensioner added she also “copes very well with everyday duties” and the hardest part of the incident is having no contact with her son. A man who left his own mother blind in one eye following a savage attack on her has been jailed for 16 months. Jonathan Kempston repeatedly punched mum Dorothy Tough to the face during a violent argument in the family home in Edinburgh last year. The brutal assault left Mrs Tough lying in a pool of blood on her kitchen floor and suffering from a ruptured left eyeball. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the 71-year-old victim has lost the sight in her eye following the attack. Kempston, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting his mother to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment when he appeared at the capital court in May. He returned to the dock for sentencing in June where Sheriff Gillian Sharp said due to the “level of violence involved there is no alternative to a custodial sentence”. Sheriff Sharp sentenced Kempston, of Leith, to 16 months in custody. A victim impact statement from Mrs Tough was read out in court stating she had to have three operations to her eye following the attack by her son. She said she has “adjusted well” to the disability but has to wear an eye patch when out in public. The pensioner added she also “copes very well with everyday duties” and the hardest part of the incident is having no contact with her son.
A man who left his own mother blind in one eye following a savage attack on her has been jailed for 16 months. Jonathan Kempston repeatedly punched mum Dorothy Tough to the face during a violent argument in the family home in Edinburgh last year. The brutal assault left Mrs Tough lying in a pool of blood on her kitchen floor and suffering from a ruptured left eyeball. Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the 71-year-old victim has lost the sight in her eye following the attack. Kempston, 41, pleaded guilty to assaulting his mother to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment when he appeared at the capital court in May. He returned to the dock for sentencing in June where Sheriff Gillian Sharp said due to the “level of violence involved there is no alternative to a custodial sentence”. Sheriff Sharp sentenced Kempston, of Leith, to 16 months in custody. A victim impact statement from Mrs Tough was read out in court stating she had to have three operations to her eye following the attack by her son. She said she has “adjusted well” to the disability but has to wear an eye patch when out in public. The pensioner added she also “copes very well with everyday duties” and the hardest part of the incident is having no contact with her son. | Alexander Lawrie

Edinburgh crime: 13 criminals handed sentences in June at Edinburgh's courts - in pictures

Kevin Quinn
By Kevin Quinn

Reporter

Published 2nd Jul 2024, 15:34 BST
Updated 2nd Jul 2024, 18:18 BST

Edinburgh’s courts dished out sentences in June for crimes including rape, theft and historic sexual abuse.

A 34-year-old man was jailed for eight years for multiple violent offences against women and girls in West Lothian. And a man who left his own mother blind in one eye following a savage attack on her was jailed for 16 months.

An Edinburgh chef who raped two former partners and abused a third over a three-year period was jailed for nine years at the High Court in Edinburgh. While, a 54-year-old man who defrauded the University of Edinburgh of over £3.3 million was jailed for seven years.

John McKechnie, 34, was jailed for eight years on June 27 at the High Court in Edinburgh for multiple violent offences against women and girls in West Lothian. McKechnie’s offences include rape, domestic offending, and possession of indecent images of children. His crimes took place between 2015 and 2022 in the West Lothian area. McKechnie was previously convicted of the offences following a trial on May 22. Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “John McKechnie is a violent and predatory individual who will now face the consequences of his despicable actions. I commend the strength of the victims for coming forward and hope the sentence will bring some comfort as they try to move forward. Sexual abuse of any kind has no place in our society and any reports made to Police Scotland will be robustly investigated.”

13. Jailed for violence against women and girls

John McKechnie, 34, was jailed for eight years on June 27 at the High Court in Edinburgh for multiple violent offences against women and girls in West Lothian. McKechnie’s offences include rape, domestic offending, and possession of indecent images of children. His crimes took place between 2015 and 2022 in the West Lothian area. McKechnie was previously convicted of the offences following a trial on May 22. Detective Inspector Adrian Ure, National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “John McKechnie is a violent and predatory individual who will now face the consequences of his despicable actions. I commend the strength of the victims for coming forward and hope the sentence will bring some comfort as they try to move forward. Sexual abuse of any kind has no place in our society and any reports made to Police Scotland will be robustly investigated.” | Police Scotland

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