The man behind ‘The Dress That Broke the Internet’ was sentenced today to four years in prison for pinning his wife to the ground and strangling her before brandishing a knife and saying: ‘Someone is going to die.’
Keir Johnston, 39, violently assaulted Grace Johnston at her isolated home on the island of Colonsay, Inner Hebrides, in March 2022.
She frantically messaged friends asking for help because she knew it would take too long for police to track them down, before dialing 999 and screaming into the phone: “My husband is trying to kill me.”
The terrifying attack, which occurred on March 6, 2022, came seven years after the couple gained global fame for the dress worn by the bride’s mother at their wedding.
It sparked a global debate about its colors, with people unable to decide whether it was black and blue or white and gold.
Keir Johnston (right) with Grace Johnston (center) and her mother-in-law, wearing ‘The Dress That Broke the Internet’
The dress (pictured) rose to global fame after netizens were divided over whether the dress was black or blue.
It was dubbed ‘The Dress That Broke the Internet’ after a photo of the garment was shared online.
The couple appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show in the United States, where they received $10,000 and a luxury trip to Granada.
But yesterday a judge heard about a history of “domestic abuse” at the hands of Johnston towards his wife.
The petrol station attendant pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Ms Johnston to the point of causing injury and endangering her life.
Judge Lady Drummond said Johnston strangled Grace for 20 seconds.
She continued: ‘In her victim impact statement she went over the emotional and psychological impact his behavior had on her.
‘She suffers in several aspects of her life: emotionally, psychologically and financially.
‘The impact of your actions will last forever. She can’t understand your lack of remorse or empathy towards her.
‘I have taken all the information into account and have considered the possibility that the court could resolve this matter at the disposal of the community.
“I’m afraid the only appropriate penalty for a crime like this is prison.”
A 10-year harassment order restricting Johnston’s contact with Grace was also granted.
Prosecutor Chris Macintosh told how it was accepted Grace had suffered previous domestic violence, including her husband’s attempt to strangle her, before the 2022 attack.
He said: “There is no permanent police presence on the island and she was in a situation where she felt trapped.”
Days before the assault, Grace had gone to the mainland in search of work, against Johnston’s wishes.
The couple appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in the US, where they received a luxury £8,000 tip for Granada.
Hours before the attack, Johnston had been at a pub quiz and sent her “strange texts”, including one that said: ‘You should support me, but you don’t.’
A “worried” Grace returned home and found her husband there.
Mr Macintosh said: ‘Johnston woke up and said he was going to leave her. She left the property to stop him from leaving.
“He followed her and pinned her to the ground. He put both knees on top of her arms, so she couldn’t move. He then began to strangle her with both hands.
“At first I could scream. She feared for her life and she believed Johnston intended to kill her. It was very forceful.’
A witness heard the screams and tried to push Johnston away.
He initially stopped and went back inside, but stormed out threatening to “finish her” before strangling her again and grabbing a knife.
Grace managed to “keep her distance” because she believed he would stab her. When she received no response from her friends, she called 999.
A witness later arrived at the home and found Grace “crying and hyperventilating.”
Johnston was found hiding under a desk in his cabin, still wielding a knife. At one point he briefly put the sword to his throat, but the weapon was taken from him.
Celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift weighed in on the sartorial debate in 2015.
Grace suffered “visible” bruising and marks on her neck as a result of the assault, but fortunately did not require medical treatment.
The court heard Johnston then “alluded to previous episodes of marital violence” when speaking to a doctor.
He also described episodes of “emotional distress” since he was a child.
Marco Guarino, defending, asked Lady Drummond to consider a non-custodial sentence.
The lawyer said: ‘Today there is no attempt to give him an excuse for what he did.
“He understands how he got into this situation and it’s clear from the beginning what should have happened when they should have separated.
“This was too volatile a relationship for each other, it became clear that their lifestyles were diverging and he couldn’t cope with that.
‘He acted in a way that has to be punished. That punishment does not have to be preventive detention, since there is a lack of antecedents and there is nothing exceptional.
“There was an emotional reaction on his part to what he did and what he caused.”