Gary Shaw was admitted to hospital after the incident at a flat in the Bellsmyre area of Dumbarton in December.

After being released, he went to police and lodged a formal statement.

That statement had a signature on it and confirmation the person giving the details was Mr Shaw, but he denied that in court. He was testifying in an assault case against Stephen Diamond.

Mr Diamond, 27, was alleged to have stabbed the 34-year-old scaffolder in the leg and head. He denied the charges from the outset.

Mr Shaw told Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week he had taken ‘lots of alcohol’ and ‘valium’ during a drinking session with a friend. He then went with his friend to a flat in Merkins Avenue in the Bellsmyre area, but had little recollection of events.

Under questioning from fiscal depute, Sarah Healing, he said: “See to be honest, I couldn’t tell you what time of day we went there. I can’t remember what happened that day, I was too drunk and had had vodka and had taken a few valium.

“I’ve been racking my brains trying to think of what happened, but I don’t know.” The court heard Mr Shaw wasn’t injured when he arrived at the flat, that he ‘could remember,’ but did end up with injuries.

He added: “I got stabbed, but I don’t know how it happened. All of a sudden there was an ambulance there. I remember being in hospital and then getting out.

“The police were there telling me to calm down and all that. That’s all I can remember.” Ms Healing reminded Mr Shaw he had taken an oath and that he was obliged to ‘tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth’.

Ms Healing asked him to look at statement given to police where his name, age, and address had been given, as well as a signature on three separate pages.

Ms Healing asked him: “If I was to suggest to you a PC Trevor Fleming took your statement, what would you say to that?” Mr Shaw replied: “I can’t remember – I can’t remember signing anything and that’s not my signature. I’ve been racking my brains and racking my brains, but I can’t remember nothing. “If I was drunk I don’t know what I have said. I could have said anything, I could’ve been lying or anything. I’m not going to come out here and say this happened and that happened when I don’t know what happened – I don’t know who stabbed me.” Addressing Sheriff Thomas McCartney, Ms Healing said the Crown was no longer seeking to press any charges against Mr Diamond.

The jury of 15, seven men and eight women, had sat for less than an hour when they were dismissed without having to make a decision. The case was deserted.