Within the stark walls of HMP Perth, a chilling drama unfolded – a son, driven by years of simmering resentment, attacked his father, a man he’d never known. Lee Spence, already serving time, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, setting in motion a disturbing revelation of a hidden family history and a desperate act of vengeance.
The Edinburgh High Court learned a shocking truth: John, Lee’s father, was completely unaware of his son’s existence. They shared a prison wing, unknowingly breathing the same air, their pasts a chasm separating them until a violent confrontation shattered the silence. The connection, born of a previous relationship, remained a secret until Lee took the law into his own hands.
Prosecutor Fraser Matheson revealed Lee’s motive – a burning desire to avenge his mother for alleged domestic abuse. He confessed to prison officers that the attack was a direct response to the harm inflicted upon her years ago, a twisted attempt to right a perceived wrong from his infancy. The weight of that history fueled a brutal act.
The attack itself was swift and brutal. John, momentarily distracted, was lured into Lee’s cell and stabbed. Lee, afterward, reportedly attempted to conceal the evidence, flushing the weapon down the toilet, a desperate act to erase the consequences of his rage. The scene was one of sudden violence within the confines of the prison.
Lee’s history is marred by a pattern of disturbing violence. Just months prior, in September 2022, he received a sentence of three years and eight months for a horrific assault on a woman. The details are chilling – throttling her until she lost consciousness, then cruelly laughing at her suffering.
The brutality didn’t end there. He struck her with a vacuum cleaner pole, further restricting her breathing until she blacked out. Shattering a glass and using the shards to stab her leg added another layer of savagery to the attack. His callous disregard for her life was evident in his mocking response to her pain.
When the woman complained of a headache, Lee coldly admitted to hitting her with the vacuum cleaner, erupting in laughter. Originally charged with attempted murder in that case, he ultimately pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assault to injury and danger of life. This pattern of violent behavior painted a disturbing picture of a man consumed by rage.
Judge Lord Renucci has deferred Lee’s sentencing for the attack on his father, requesting a comprehensive report into his background. The court seeks to understand the roots of his violence before determining his fate. A sentencing date is set for January 9, 2026, leaving a long wait for justice to be served.
