Teen admits to stabbing man over 'Harry Potter' remark in Edinburgh

A 17-year-old teenager has pleaded guilty to repeatedly stabbing Liam McKechnie after a verbal altercation at a bus stop in Edinburgh on March 17, 2024. The argument escalated after McKechnie referred to the teenager as 'Harry Potter,' which provoked the attack. During the incident, the teenager produced a knife and stabbed McKechnie multiple times in the torso, leading to severe injuries that required emergency surgery to remove his spleen. Prosecutor Margaret Barron highlighted that without immediate medical intervention, McKechnie's life would have been at risk. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fled the scene but was arrested three days later. The court proceedings revealed that both individuals were unknown to each other before the confrontation, and the incident occurred around 12:45 AM.