A GANGLAND assassin slashed a crime mob member - just weeks after he hacked off another inmate's ear.

David Scott, 36, pounced on Paul Lyons within the busy visiting room at HMP Perth on December 10 2019.

The 39 year-old road rage killer - part of the underworld Lyons clan - was struck near a vital artery in his neck in front of shocked children.

Scott screamed: "Paul Lyons is a grass and his whole family are grasses."

Scott had earlier carried out a horror attack on robber Dale Thomas within in a cell in HMP Edinburgh leaving him grotesquely disfigured.

The thug was behind bars having been jailed for at least 22 years for shooting dead Euan "EJ" Johnston in Glasgow's Kinning Park in November 2016.

His QC said Scott believed Lyons and Thomas "bore ill will" towards him as a result of the murder - and that the attacks were "pre-emptive".

Scott was handed an eight year sentence after he admitted assaulting the pair to their injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of their lives.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Lyons was attacked as relatives and friends visited him.

Prosecutor Jane Farquharson QC said: "Scott stood up and started running towards his table.

"He can be seen on camera to remove something from the waistband of his trousers."

Lyons was "oblivious" as Scott sprinted at him before repeatedly slashing at his head and neck.

After prison staff grabbed Scott, he made the "grass" outburst before asking if anyone had seen him "successfully slash Lyons".

Lyons suffered a wound near his carotid artery. He refused to speak to police.

Scott later admitted he had brought a weapon from his previous jail.

A razor blade attached to melted plastic was discovered lying in the visiting room.

Earlier, on December 10, Scott pounced on Thomas during a 'Napalm' attack in HMP Edinburgh.

Miss Farquharson: "His injuries reveal that he was struck with a knife and a hot water and sugar solution thrown on him. His right ear was cut off."

Thomas was discovered by prison staff lying in a pool of blood.

Scott had stated to one of them: "You are going to need some medical expertise in there."

Scott's Nike trainers were examined and Thomas's blood were on them.

The court heard Thomas is being assessed for ear reconstruction.

Scott also pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer to his severe injury in HMP Perth on May 4 2020.

The incident was again captured on CCTV.

The guard was punched before stumbling and badly hurting his hand.

He was off work for a number of weeks as a result.

Scott's QC Brian McConnachie QC said: "As a result of his conviction for murder, he became a person of interest to other people within the prison system.

"It is a highly charged atmosphere and those involved in the first two charges (Lyons and Thomas) were people who, it is believed, bore ill will to Mr Scott due to the conviction.

"Crudely, this can be described as pre-emptive."

The court also heard Scott continues to deny murdering Euan Johnston.

Lady Haldane said the jail-term would have been 12 years, but for the guilty pleas.