A man allegedly subjected to a savage knife attack in north Belfast lost his left eye, a court has heard. Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court facing charges of attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, making threats to kill an NHS radiographer, and possession of a knife.
Details of the attack
The charges relate to an incident in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast at around 10.30pm on Monday, June 8. During Wednesday's court hearing, it emerged that Mr Ogilvie sustained catastrophic injuries and lost his left eye. Alodid declined legal representation and made no reply to the charges, which were read to him through an Arabic interpreter.
Video footage circulating online appears to depict a man repeatedly stabbing at the head and neck of another man lying on the ground in the middle of a residential street. The footage also shows bystanders stepping in to try to halt the assault, including one person holding what looked like a hurling stick.
Police response
Police officers reached the scene within minutes and detained a suspect. A kitchen knife was subsequently recovered. Alodid was remanded in custody for four weeks following the hearing. The alleged attack has triggered considerable tensions in Belfast and comes amid disturbances in parts of Northern Ireland.
On Tuesday evening, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that disorder had erupted in several locations. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: "Sporadic pockets of disorder have broken out in a number of locations across Northern Ireland this evening, including incidents in which a number of vehicles have been set on fire. We are urging everyone to remain calm, act responsibly, and avoid any activity that could place themselves or others at risk."
Officers are on the ground, working alongside partner agencies, responding to incidents as they arise and helping to keep people safe. The case is scheduled to return before the courts next month.
