A COUPLE were left fighting for life after being brutally stabbed by two thugs – after a row over £100.

Finlay McIntyre, 52, and Karen Branwhite, 38, were set upon outside their front door in Belville Street on November 5.

Jamie Middleton, 19, and Andrew Mulholland, 27, pounced on the pair before escaping in a taxi they had arrived in.

Mr McIntyre suffered nine stab wounds while his partner was also badly hurt.

A judge heard how the attackers were both on bail for knife offences at the time of the crime, which a senior detective branded 'horrendous and horrific'.

Middleton and Mulholland are now behind bars after they admitted assaulting the victims to their severe injury and danger of their lives.

They had originally been charged with attempting to murder the couple.

The pair have now been remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

Prosecutor Kath Harper told the High Court in Glasgow how Finlay owed Middleton £100.

Miss Harper said: “An agreement was reached that the money would be paid on November 6.”

But Middleton and Mulholland instead turned up at the couple's home around 8.30pm the night before the arranged date.

Finlay was on the landing in his close when Middleton approached and knifed him in the stomach.

Miss Harper said: “He shouted: 'What's this about?'. He was then repeatedly stabbed by Middleton.

“Karen Branwhite moved towards her partner...Mulholland turned on her stabbing her three times.”

The bleeding victims managed to escaped back to their home.

The court heard that the duo of attackers yelled: “Open the door. You better still get my money.”

The pair then jumped into a taxi and fled the scene while their victims managed to alert police despite collapsing in a pool of blood behind their front door.

Mr McIntyre sustained multiple stab wounds to his head, chest and stomach and his partner went into cardiac arrest.

Both ended up in intensive care with Mr McIntyre needing emergency surgery.

His partner suffered a collapsed lung and a liver injury as well as a fractured rib.

Miss Harper: “Both arrived in a critical condition. They were both found to have potentially life threatening injuries.”

Middleton and Mulholland were held weeks later for the attacks.

Lady Stacey has deferred sentence on Middleton and Mulholland while reports are compiled on their backgrounds.