Man admits to stabbing his friend

A MAN stabbed a drinking pal in the stomach, almost killing him, while on release from prison on three separate bail orders.

Martin Torres seized Ian Thomson by the throat and plunged a kitchen knife into him twice after an argument at a Leith hostel.

Torres, 55, an alcoholic with previous convictions for assault, was also on probation and subject to an antisocial behaviour order at the time.

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, Torres pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Mr Thomson. Sentence has been deferred until next month.

The attack took place in a hostel for chronic alcoholics at Thorntree Street on October 23, 2007, while both men were living there.

After stabbing Mr Thomson with a four-inch blade, Torres, who is also known as Martin Sinnet, told a support worker to check on him because he had been "sorted out" by three "boys from Glasgow" for insulting his mother.

Lord Brodie told Torres, whose address was given as Edinburgh Prison, he will now be considering an extended sentence.