The Scottish man who became famous in 2015 for his mother-in-law’s viral black and blue (or gold and white) dress that divided the internet is now charged with the attempted murder of his wife. Keir Johnston, 38, appeared before the High Court in Glasgow this week after being charged with the attempted murder of his wife Grace Johnston. The case will receive a preliminary hearing for a trial in 2024.
Keir Johnston is said to have been guilty of domestic violence against his wife Grace for eleven years. Johnston’s behavior is said to have culminated in the accusation that on March 6, 2022, he pinned his wife to the ground and sat on top of her. He allegedly placed his hands around her neck repeatedly and squeezed her neck, impeding her breathing, while threatening violence.
Keir denies all allegations against him, including that he repeatedly assaulted his wife in their home, brandished a knife and tried to strangle her. The charges, which took place between April 2019 and March 2022, include allegedly pushing Grace against a wall, yelling at her and strangling her.
The Times and other sources reported that he also allegedly tried to get into a vehicle she was in and punched her through an open window, as well as another alleged incident where Keir grabbed his wife in a headlock and dragged her out of a cafe after she refused to go with him. According to other charges, Johnston isolated his wife from her friends and monitored her movements and finances.
“The dress that broke the internet”
The couple became a viral sensation in 2015 after their friend and wedding guest, Caitlin McNeill, posted a photo to Tumblr of a dress Grace’s mother, Cecilia Bleasdale, wore to their wedding. People close to the Johnstons stated that the dress in the photo appeared to be blue and black, while others were convinced it was white and gold. The debate also intrigued the internet and the garment became known simply as “the dress” or “the dress that broke the internet”. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Chrissy Teigen all joined the online conversation about what colors they saw. The dress went so viral that Keir, Grace and McNeill even appeared on the ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ where mom Bleasdale wore the dress which was indeed black and blue.
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