A groom whose online image of ‘the dress that broke the internet’ brought him global fame was jailed yesterday for brutally attacking his wife.
Keir Johnston, 39, sparked a debate about whether his mother-in-law’s wedding dress was black and blue or white and gold after a picture was posted on Facebook in 2015.
The video attracted so much attention that the couple even appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in the US, where they were handed $10,000 and a luxury trip to Grenada.
But sinister bully Johnston was hiding a dark secret and behind closed doors turned on terrified wife Grace, at one stage telling her: ‘Somebody is going to die.’
The petrol station attendant then pinned Mrs Johnston to the ground and choked her before brandishing a knife.
‘Keir Johnston was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail for attacking his wife Grace at their home on the island of Colonsay
She sent desperate messages to friends begging for help as she knew it would take police too long to get to their island home on Colonsay, in the Inner Hebrides.
She eventually dialled 999 after the attack on March 6, 2022, yelling: ‘My husband is trying to kill me.’
Seven years on from his moment of fame, Johnston was yesterday jailed for four-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to a charge of assault to injury and danger of life.
Judge Lady Drummond, at the High Court in Glasgow, said: ‘In her victim impact statement, she went over the emotional and psychological on her from your behaviour.
‘She suffers in various aspects of her life – emotionally, psychologically and financially.
‘The impact of your actions will last forever. She cannot understand your lack of remorse or empathy towards her.
‘I have taken account of all the information and considered the submission that the court can deal with this with a community disposal.
‘I am afraid the only appropriate sentence for a crime such as this is imprisonment.’
The judge also slapped Johnston with a 10-year non-harassment order.
Prosecutor Chris Macintosh said Mrs Johnston had suffered previous domestic violence – including her husband trying to strangle her – before the 2022 attack.
Mr Macintosh said: ‘There is no permanent police presence on the island and she was in a situation where she felt trapped.’
Days before the assault, Mrs Johnston had gone to the mainland for a job – but her husband, now of Moffat, Dumfriesshire, had not wanted her to.
In the hours before the attack, Johnston had been drinking at a pub quiz before returning home.
Mrs Johnston received texts including him stating: ‘You should support me, but you do not.’
This left her ‘worried and anxious’, but she returned home. Mr Macintosh said: ‘Johnston woke up and said that he was going to leave her.
‘She went outside the property to stop him leaving. He followed her and pinned her to the ground. He placed both knees on her arms, so she was unable to move.
‘He then began strangling her with both his hands. She was initially able to scream. She feared for her life and believed Johnston intended to kill her. He was very forceful.’
A witness heard the screams and tried to pull Johnston away.
He initially stopped and went back inside but stormed back out threatening to ‘finish’ her ‘off’ before again choking her.
The husband was seen clutching a knife but she managed to ‘keep her distance’ believing he would stab her.
When she got no reply from friends, she dialled 999. The harrowing call was played in court.
Mrs Johnston was discovered ‘crying and hyperventilating’. She was so upset she could only partially explain her ordeal.
In 2015 Johnston posted a picture of his mother-in-law’s wedding dress, sparking a worldwide debate over what colours it was
Johnston, meanwhile, was found hiding under a desk in his cottage still clutching a knife. He briefly put the blade to his throat at one stage, but the weapon was grabbed from him.
Mrs Johnston suffered ‘visible’ bruising and marks to her neck as a result of the assault.
Marco Guarino, defending, yesterday asked Lady Drummond to consider a non-custodial sentence.
The lawyer said: ‘There is no attempt to give him an excuse today for what he did.
‘He understands how he came to be in this situation and it is clear from the outset what should have happened as they should have parted.
‘This was a relationship which was far too volatile for each other, it became apparent that their lifestyles were diverging and he was unable to cope with that.
‘He acted in a way where he requires to be punished for it. That punishment need not be custody as there is a lack of background and there is nothing outstanding.
‘There was an emotional reaction from him for what he did and what he caused.’
