A Scottish man who gained worldwide attention in 2015 due to the viral debate surrounding the colors of a dress has been charged with attempted murder against his wife, Your Content has learned.
Keir Johnston, 38, appeared in the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, facing allegations of an 11-year campaign of domestic violence and coercive control targeting his wife, Grace Johnston.
The incident in question occurred in March of last year when Keir allegedly pinned Grace to the ground and compressed her neck in an attempt to take her life. Denying all accusations, he refuted the claims of repeatedly assaulting his wife at their residence and trying to strangle her with a knife.
Additional allegations surfaced, suggesting a pattern of abusive behavior between April 2019 and March 2022. These incidents reportedly involved pushing Grace against a wall, shouting at her, and throttling her. Keir also allegedly attempted to physically harm her through a vehicle window, as well as forcibly removing her from a pub by placing her in a headlock.
Furthermore, Keir is accused of isolating Grace from her friends and family while exerting control over her finances. He allegedly monitored her money and restricted her access to it.
The couple gained fame in 2015 when a photo of a dress worn by Grace’s mother, Cecilia Bleasdale, went viral. The image, shared on Tumblr by their friend Caitlin McNeill, sparked a widespread online debate as some perceived the dress as blue and black, while others insisted it was white and gold. The controversy captured the interest of the internet, leading to the dress being dubbed “the dress that broke the internet.”
Prominent figures, including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Chrissy Teigen, participated in the online discussion, sharing their perspectives on how they perceived the colors of the dress. The Johnstons and McNeill even appeared on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where Bleasdale wore the dress, confirming that it was indeed black and blue. The couple received a $10,000 check and a trip to the Caribbean as a gift from DeGeneres.
The case of the attempted murder will undergo a preliminary hearing before the trial, scheduled for 2024. It will be an opportunity for the legal process to determine the veracity of the allegations brought against Keir Johnston, according to New York Post.