Victim reveals how he lost his sight and his job after the horrific attack
John McLaughlin, 33, was stabbed in the eye by his ex-girlfriend Nicole Thomson, 25, at his home in Glasgow in June 2022. He suffered a permanent loss of vision in his left eye and had to undergo several surgeries to save his life. He also lost his job as a security guard and had to move back in with his parents.
John said he was traumatised by the attack and still suffers from nightmares and flashbacks. He said he was in a toxic relationship with Thomson for two years and that she was controlling, abusive, and violent. He said he tried to end the relationship several times, but she would always threaten him or blackmail him into staying with her.
He said he finally broke up with her in May 2022, but she kept harassing him and stalking him. He said she showed up at his flat on June 12, 2022, and forced her way in. He said she was drunk and angry and started arguing with him. He said he tried to calm her down and asked her to leave, but she refused. He said she then grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the eye.
He said he felt a sharp pain and blood gushing out of his eye. He said he screamed for help and managed to call 999. He said he was terrified and thought he was going to die. He said he was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He said he was told he had a punctured eyeball and a severed optic nerve and that he would never see again from his left eye.
Attacker sentenced to six years in prison for attempted murder
Thomson was arrested and charged with attempted murder. She pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow on January 29, 2024. She was sentenced to six years in prison by Judge Lady Stacey, who said she had committed a “very serious offence” that had a “devastating impact” on John’s life.
The judge said Thomson had shown “no remorse” and had “blamed” John for the attack. She said Thomson had a history of “domestic abuse” and had “breached” a non-harassment order that was imposed on her in March 2022. She said Thomson had a “personality disorder” and a “problem with alcohol” and that she posed a “high risk” of reoffending.
The judge said she had taken into account Thomson’s “early guilty plea” and her “young age” when deciding the sentence. She said she had also considered the “mitigating factors” presented by Thomson’s defence lawyer, who said she had a “difficult upbringing” and had suffered from “abuse” and “neglect” as a child. He said she had “low self-esteem” and “poor mental health” and that she was “sorry” for what she had done.
Victim hopes to raise awareness and support for male victims of domestic abuse
John said he was “disappointed” by the sentence and felt it was “too lenient”. He said he hoped Thomson would “learn from her mistakes” and “change her ways”. He said he was trying to “move on” with his life and “rebuild” his confidence. He said he was grateful for the “support” he had received from his family, friends, and the “Victim Support Scotland” charity.
John said he wanted to “raise awareness” and “support” for male victims of domestic abuse, who often face “stigma” and “shame”. He said he wanted to “encourage” other men who are in abusive relationships to “speak out” and “seek help”. He said he wanted to “break the silence” and “end the violence”.
He said he had set up a “GoFundMe” page to raise money for a “prosthetic eye” and for “therapy”. He said he hoped to “restore” his appearance and his “mental health”. He said he also wanted to “find a new job” and “start a new chapter” in his life.
