A health worker convicted of stabbing herself is awaiting sentence after being convicted on a 'jigsaw of evidence'. 

Donna Maxwell's defence counsel told the jury the Crown's case had been botched by police failings.

But the prosecution accused the 47-year-old, from Irvine, of "trying to deceive the jury".

And jurors took just over 90 minutes to decide that Maxwell was guilty of wasting police time after stabbing herself outside a building at Ailsa Hospital in Ayr in November 2018 and then claiming someone else had done it.

READ MORE: Donna Maxwell found guilty as jury decides Irvine mum lied about stab attack

The trial had heard that another woman, Abigail Hill - who the court was told has since died - had been identified as a suspect and had appeared in court before the case was dropped.

Shouts of "are you having a laugh?" and "Jesus Christ" were heard from the public gallery after the verdict was announced at the end of the trial at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Following the verdict, procurator fiscal depute Alasdair Millar said Maxwell had no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Ian Gillies said he anticipated social work reports would be needed and said he would "reserve his position" until the date of sentencing.

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Sheriff Shirley Foran deferred sentencing for background reports and Maxwell's bail was continued.

Sheriff Foran thanked the jury for their work over "a challenging few days".

The jury heard from 16 witness during the trial - including the accused - from an original witness list of more than 60 people.

Summing up to the jury, Mr Millar said: "The question you have to ask is who stabbed Donna Maxwell.

"There is no dispute she said she was stabbed by a female of a drug user appearance, provided statements, and it led to the police undertaking enquiries.

READ MORE: Donna Maxwell bought knife in Tesco the day before stab incident, court told

"The Crown case is she stabbed herself, fabricated a report and wasted police time. I ask you not to convict because I say so, but because of the evidence.

"The defence will argue various pieces of evidence can be explained away as coincidences. We have too many coincidences.

“Consider the case as a jigsaw. These coincidences joined together unveil a bigger picture.

“We saw in pictures the area was staff only and members of the public were not invited. 

"Donna had a scapegoat, and knew she could blame a patient. She told the court threats to staff were commonly known.

“Web pages showed short term loans, bad credit, unsecured loans, searches for injury compensation. All these [searches] had been deleted.

“It is very significant the user actively deleted all these searches."

Describing Maxwell's account as “incorrect, inaccurate, inconsistent”, Mr Millar said: "These events are so significant they would not be forgotten. I suggest she got these details wrong and made up these versions of events.

"The final piece of the jigsaw is the fact she bought the same knife on November 21. 

"Donna Maxwell purchased exactly the same knife used to stab her. Is this a coincidence or further evidence? Can it really be a coincidence?

"The police searched the home address and didn’t find the knife - two experienced police officers."

Maxwell's defence counsel had produced a knife in evidence which, according to the accused, was the knife she had bought in Tesco in Irvine.

Mr Millar said: "It is not the same knife. It is longer to start with, and it has a different shaped blade.

"It is a different knife. It shows an attempt to deceive you, and helps satisfy yourself she fabricated the report.

"Donna executed the stabbing, attempted to blame another, and has now tried to pass off a different knife as the one she bought.

"Piece it all together, and you’ll see it's clear beyond reasonable doubt."

READ MORE: 'Injury compensation' search found on stab accused's phone, police tell trial

But defence counsel Janice Green said parts of the Crown's case were "fluff" and "patently absurd".

Ms Green said: “The charge is one of wasting police time. The Crown must prove this was known. It is not in dispute there was an investigation; what is in dispute is if it was a false report.

"I have never heard a prosecutor say the absence of evidence is evidence.

"It does not prove no one was there. The absence of an eyewitness is consistent with an assailant not being seen or observed.

"The defence say it's ridiculous someone stabbed themselves, risking their life, for a bit of cash. There are easier ways.

"Two police officers said there was no knives [found in a search of Maxwell's home] except table knives. A normal family in Irvine, not a bread knife, nothing to cut your chips,

"It's patently absurd. Donna Maxwell's evidence is she of course had knives, in a box in the loft. 

"There was evidence of the police coming to the hospital and pointing to Abigail Hill. If you accept that happened, that is serious wrongdoing - and corrupt. The police were going to push ahead." 

Ms Green added that the knife purchase was "undoubtedly a coincidence" but "everything else is fluff" and said: "If anything raises doubt you must acquit."

But on a majority verdict the jury preferred the Crown's case and found Maxwell guilty.

She will return to Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing in February.