Man who tried to kill pregnant Fife woman could face life sentence

A beggar who tried to murder a heavily-pregnant woman in a horrific attack which resulted in her losing the twins she was carrying was warned he could face a life sentence today.

Stephen Ramsay alleged that his victim had stolen the money he made on the streets of Edinburgh posing as a homeless person but was told he spent it on drink and drugs.

But Ramsay, 36 went on to repeatedly punch Lisa Donaldson and throttled and stabbed her in the neck with a knife which led to the deaths of the 32-week old unborn babies.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh that he was calling for a full risk assessment report to be prepared on him which will look at what risk his being at liberty poses to the safety of the public.

Lord Kinclaven told Ramsay no decision would be made on sentencing until the report was available and he was addressed in mitigation.

But such a report can lead to the making of an indeterminate sentence under an Order for Lifelong Restriction.

The court earlier heard that the victim had tried to cuddle Ramsay when he returned to the home they shared but he accused her of being a "cheating bitch" and also claimed that she had stolen money from him but was told by a friend that he had spent it on drink and drugs.

The friend, Robert Workman, pulled him off Ms Donaldson, 35 and said she had been at home in Glenrothes, in Fife, worrying about him but Ramsay turned on him and claimed he had been sleeping with the victim.

The friend left to go to his home in a neighbouring property but later called 999 warning that Ms Donaldson was being attacked.

During the call Mr Workman said: "Please can you hear her screaming. She's pregnant with his twins."

Police kicked the door in at the flat at Delgatie Court, Glenrothes, where they found Ramsay straddling the victim with his hands around her neck.

The victim and the floor around her were saturated with blood and she was almost unrecognisable because of bruising and swelling to her face.

The prosecutor said that medical opinion was that the unborn children died following a collapse in the mother's circulation as a result of which they were deprived of sufficient blood supply, arising because of the assault on her.

Detectives later spoke to Ms Donaldson in hospital and she told them that Ramsay had been in Edinburgh and when he returned home she went to give him a cuddle but he went "mental". She said he was "wasted" and grabbed a kitchen knife and put it to her throat.

Ramsay, who has extensive previous convictions including for assault, theft and fraud, was under the influence of drink, prescription medication and illegal drugs at the time of the attempted murder.

On the day of the attack the unemployed benefit claimant caught a bus from Glenrothes to Edinburgh to go begging on the streets outside the former Frasers store building in Princes Street prior to the murder bid attack.

He said he gave his victim a kiss and kissed her stomach before leaving the flat that day, but began drinking cider and bought Valium and Xanax tablets in the city, which he consumed. During the trip home to Glenrothes he was seen spilling drink on a bus and shouting and swearing at passengers before he fell into a bus shelter.

Ramsay earlier admitted attempting to murder Ms Donaldson on February 23 this year, knowing that she was 32 months pregnant with twins.

The case was originally continued until today for the preparation of a social work report on Ramsay which was unavailable. Lord Kinclaven requested that a further attempt should be made to produce the background report as well as the risk assessment report.

Sentence was deferred on Ramsay until September 27 at the High Court in Glasgow. He was remanded in custody