A KNIFE thug who stabbed a man in a bookies 11 times in a murder bid was jailed for nine years.

Daniel Wallace, 28, from Airdrie, walked into William Hill Bookmakers in Varnsorf Way, Airdrie, around 3.30pm on February 20 and attacked customer Craig Morrison.

The brutal attack was caught on the shop’s CCTV cameras and the next day Wallace confessed telling a prison worker: “I murdered someone last night’

Mr Morrison, who had just finished work, was in the bookies to collect his winnings.

Prosecutor Angela Gray said: “As the complainer was waiting on the cashier completing her enquiries about his bet; the accused entered the bookmakers. The accused walked over to where the complainer was standing and without warning punched him on the back and then started attacking him with a kitchen knife he had in his right hand.”

A struggle ensued as Mr Morrison tried to defend himself, then broke free and ran out of the bookmakers, pursued by the accused.

At the High Court in Glasgow Wallace admitted attempting to murder Mr Morrison.

He has previous convictions for carrying a knife and assault.

The court heard that Mr Morrison, who was bleeding, and realised he had been stabbed drove himself to Monklands Hospital.

He was later examined at Hairmyres Hospital and found to have sustained 11 wounds, all consistent with having been inflicted by a sharp object such as a knife on his chest and arms.

Police were alerted to the incident by staff at Monklands Hospital. The CCTV footage from the bookmakers was viewed by local police officers who we were able to identify the accused as the assailant.

On February 21 police were contacted by Margaret Cruikshanks, the accused’s Prison Community Mentor who revealed that he had told her that he had ‘murdered someone last night’

A police search was launched and Wallace was apprehended on February 26, 2020.

Judge Lord Burns told Wallace that, but for his early plea he would have jailed him for 10 years.