The Scottish husband behind the infamous “dress that broke the internet” admitted to strangling his wife, nearly a year after he was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
Keir Johnston, 38, pleaded guilty on Thursday to attacking his wife, Grace Johnston, in their home on Scotland’s Isle of Colonsay on March 6, 2022.
Johnston was alleged to have brandished a knife while he threatened his wife, saying “someone is going to die” following a night of drinking during the assault, according to the Guardian.
The almost fatal attack began days before when Grace defied Keir’s demands of not attending a job interview on the mainland, the outlet reported.
On the day of the attack, Keir Johnston told his wife he would be leaving her which led to an argument between the couple.
“She went outside the property to stop him leaving. He followed her and pinned her to the ground,” prosecutor Chris Macintosh told the Glasgow High Court.
“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 and feared for her life and believed Johnston intended to kill her as he was very forceful.”
A witness pulled Keir Johnston off his wife, but the crazed husband went inside before returning back moments later threatening to “finish” his wife “off” and choking her again, according to the BBC.
Keir Johnston was also reportedly holding a knife.
Grace Johnston suffered severe bruises and called the police, telling the dispatcher “My husband is trying to kill me.”
Keir Johnston was initially charged with attempted murder.
During the trial the high court in Glasgow, Grace Johnston detailed an 11-year campaign of abuse she suffered from her husband which included domestic violence acts and coercive control.
Keir Johnston also allegedly isolated Grace from her friends and family, as well as monitoring her money to decide how much of it she could have access to.
The couple reached internet fame when Grace’s mother, Cecilia Bleasdale, purchased the infamous dress a week before their wedding in Feb. 2015.
Bleasdale had sent a photo of her outfit to her daughter and asked for her opinion on the dress, which confused the couple who disagreed over the color.
Grace saw it as white-and-gold while Keir argued it was Black-and-blue.
It is of course, black-and-blue.
At the wedding, Caitlin McNeill, the couple’s friend, was set to perform with her band, but got caught up with the dress, and posted the photo to her blog on Tumblr, Business Insider reported.
The photo was an overnight sensation leading people to argue the color scheme.
After reaching internet fame, the couple, Grace’s mother and McNeill appeared on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” where Bleasdale wore the dress to put the debate to sleep.
The daytime talk show host gave the couple a check for $10,000 and a trip to the Caribbean.
Following his guilty plea, Keir applied for “continued bail” but was placed into custody, where he will remain until he is sentenced next month.
“You repeatedly strangled her, injured her and put her life in danger in what must have been absolutely terrifying circumstances for her,” Judge Lady Drummond told the man, according to the BBC.
“I am afraid, Mr Johnston, that your status has now changed, you have been convicted of a very serious crime and you will be remanded meantime.”
Johnston will be sentenced on June 6.
