Man behind viral dress that ‘broke the internet’ behind bars for attack on wife (2024)

A husband who went viral with his wife after a dress bought for their wedding ‘broke the internet’ by sparking hot debate over its true colour has been jailed for attacking her.

Keir Johnston, 39, pinned his partner Grace to the ground and choked her during a row at their home on the island of Colonsay, in the Inner Hebrides, in March 2022.

He only let go when a witness stepped in and went on to struggle with Mrs Johnston a second time before brandishing a knife and shouting: ‘Somebody is going to die.’

The couple gained worldwide fame following their 2015 nuptials after the mother of the bride wore a dress that sparked global debate over its true colours – black and blue or white and gold.

Nicknamed ‘The Dress That Broke the Internet’, it created a social media storm when it was first shared on Tumblr by guest Caitlin McNeill, who appealed for help in solving the dilemma.

Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift all chimed in with their takes, while the photo was tweeted up to 11,000 times a minute.

The couple went on to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where they were handed $10,000 and a trip to Grenada.

But behind closed doors Mrs Johnston feared for her life, the High Court in Glasgow heard.

Prosecutor Chris Macintosh told the court at a previous hearing: ‘There is no permanent police presence on the island, and she was in a situation where she felt trapped.’

Petrol station attendant Johnston pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife to her injury and danger of life.

Jailing him for four-and-a-half years, Judge Lady Drummond 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.’

A 10-year harassment order was also granted restricting Johnston’s contact with Grace.

The court heard that days before the assault, Grace had gone to the mainland for a job – in defiance of her husband’s wishes.

In the hours prior to him turning on his wife, Johnston had been drinking at a pub quiz. Grace had been elsewhere.

She got ‘strange texts’ including him stating: ‘You should support me, but you do not.’

Feeling ‘worried and anxious’, she returned home where her husband already was.

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.’

Johnston briefly went back inside the house when a neighbour stepped in to try and pull him away from his wife but he quickly came back threatening to ‘finish her off’.

Grace suffered ‘visible’ bruising and marks to her neck as a result of the assault, but luckily needed no medical treatment.

The court heard Johnston later ‘alluded to previous episodes of marital violence’ when talking to a doctor. He also described bouts of ‘emotional distress’ since he was a child.

Marco Guarino, defending, asked Lady Drummond for her 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.’

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