WISHAW MAN JAILED FOR STABBING AND HAIR HACKING ATTACK ON GIRLFRIEND
A Shotts domestic abuser has been handed a five-year non-harassment order after admitting a campaign of violence and abuse against his former partner.Jay McKnight, from Shotts and living in Eastfield, pled guilty at Hamilton Sheriff Court to three charges, including domestic abuse, threatening or abusive behaviour, and assault to severe injury.
Court correspondence confirms McKnight admitted domestic abuse under Section 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, with the charge involving severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.
He also pled guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour under Section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, and a separate charge of assault to severe injury.
The offences related to his victim, Hayley McMahon, and took place between February 2024 and October 2024.
McKnight was remanded in custody in February 2026 before being sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court on June 19, 2026.
Documents show the sheriff imposed a community payback order, a restriction of liberty order, an electronic monitoring order and a five-year non-harassment order preventing him from approaching or contacting Ms McMahon.
The victim said McKnight repeatedly punched her, pulled her hair, smashed her phones and cut wires to her internet and television so she could not contact anyone.
She said he also held a knife to her throat inside his parents’ house and threatened to kill her if she “opened her mouth”.
Ms McMahon said the violence left her with a broken nose and a dislocated jaw, requiring an operation.
She said: “I am not religious but I prayed to God he would not murder me and my children would not have the news of losing their mum.” She added that McKnight also struck her to the face and head outside a nightclub, an incident she says was captured on CCTV.
McKnight’s sentence included electronic tagging with a restriction of liberty order, which the victim described as a 7pm to 7am house arrest.
Despite the seriousness of the offences, McKnight avoided an immediate further prison sentence after spending around nine months on remand.
Ms McMahon said: “He didn’t deny it.
He admitted it and pled guilty.” McKnight is now banned from approaching or contacting her for five years.
