American student, Alexander Hilton, jailed for three years for poisoning St Andrews University classmate's wine

Judge says Mr Hilton's actions were 'wicked and deceitful'

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

An American student has been jailed for three years for poisoning a fellow St Andrews University classmate’s wine.

Alexander Hilton was 20 when he laced a bottle of red wine with methanol solvent on the night of a ball at the university in March 2011.

Today, however, the 24-year-old was told by Judge Lord Burns at Edinburgh’s High Court that his actions were “wicked and deceitful.”

The victim, Robert Forbes, now 24 too, was encouraged by Mr Hilton to drink the wine after the American student handed him the bottle as ‘a gift’.

Although he noticed the seal was broken, Mr Forbes drank the wine but later became sick, complained of a severe headache, joint pain and blurred vision. After two days, the court heard how Mr Forbes could ‘barely see at all’.

The judge said Mr Forbes “has been left with the agonising prospect of going blind in the future.”

Having due regard to the public interest in marking the gravity of the offence, the judge told Mr Hilton: “I have concluded after careful consideration that a custodial sentence must be imposed in this case,” reports BBC News.

Although Mr Forbes kidneys were quickly treated to prevent damage, his eyesight has not returned to normal, the court heard.