In 2015, the dress Keir Johnston’s mother-in-law wore to his wedding went viral; now, he’s accused of strangling his wife before threatening to finish her off.
Back in 2015, a photo of a black and blue dress divided the internet and made Keir Johnston and his wife Grace celebrities in the process. This week, however, Keir admitted in court to violently attacking his other half outside their home on the Isle of Colonsay.
According to the BBC, Johnston, 38, entered a guilty plea in a Glasgow court on charges of assaulting his wife to her injury and the danger of life.
During the court appearance, prosecutors said Johnston had a history of abusing his wife, culminating in a March 2022 incident at their cottage after he spent the night drinking at a pub.
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After returning home, Johnston had reportedly been texting his wife messages like, “You should support me but you do not.” When she also got back to the house, he woke up and said he was leaving her.
Prosecutor Chris Macintosh explained that when she went outside to stop him from leaving, he “pinned her to the ground” and “placed both knees on her arms, so she was unable to move.” Per Macintosh, Johnston then “began strangling her with both his hands.”
“She was initially able to scream and feared for her life and believed Johnston intended to kill her as he was very forceful,” he added.
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After a witness who reportedly heard Grace’s screams pulled them apart, Johnston went inside and came back out holding a knife, threatening to “finish” her off. When Grace — who sustained bruises on her neck during the attack — called authorities, she told them, “My husband is trying to kill me.”
Bail for Johnston was denied by judge Lady Drummond, who placed him in custody pending sentencing.
“You repeatedly strangled her, injured her and put her life in danger in what must have been absolutely terrifying circumstances for her,” she told Johnston, who was initially planning to go to trial before changing his original plea of not guilty.
“I am afraid, Mr Johnston, that your status has now changed, you have been convicted of a very serious crime and you will be remanded meantime,” added Drummond.
He’ll appear in court next for sentencing on June 6.
