A man was stabbed in the neck and chest with a broken beer bottle during a drinking session in his north Belfast flat, a court heard today.
Police claimed 25-year-old Emanuel Adedokum also inflicted knife wounds to the victim at the weekend after declaring: “I will kill you, I have killed before and will kill again.”
Dublin-based Adedokum denies charges of attempted murder and possessing an offensive weapon in connection with the incident on the Whitewell Road. He was refused bail and remanded in custody after appearing at Belfast Magistrates’ Court.
An investigating detective said the accused was among four men who attended the victim’s apartment to socialise together before a row turned violent.
She claimed: “He smashed a beer bottle and then stabbed the victim to the neck, chest and left arm.”
At one point during the altercation a 10-inch silver knife was allegedly produced to cause further injuries. During a struggle the injured party grabbed Adedokum by his dreadlocked hair and punched him to the face, according to police.
It was claimed that the defendant was removed from the flat, but shouted threats that he would come back to shoot the other man and “blow the place up”.
The stab victim later attended hospital for treatment to a puncture wound to the neck and sliced ear, along with cuts to the chest and arm which had to be glued closed. A further laceration to his thigh required 25 stitches.
Adedokum, a refuse collector of no fixed abode, was arrested when police were called to the scene. During interviews he admitted being in the flat drinking alcohol and having a broken beer bottle, but denied possessing a knife or making any attempt to murder.
He also had cuts above his eye and to his hand and legs. Opposing his application for bail, the detective claimed there was a risk of further offences.
“The defendant allegedly said just prior to the stabbing ‘I will kill you, I have killed before and will kill again’,” she disclosed.
Defence barrister Sean O’Hare told the court Adedokum spends every weekend in Belfast visiting his girlfriend.
He argued that despite his client providing a full account, police still need to speak to other witnesses in order to obtain a full picture of what happened.
“There is no doubt the complainant ended up with very serious injuries which are the source of great distress to the defendant,” Mr O’Hare submitted.
“But it seems the significant leg injury was caused by a fall onto glass.”
District Judge Steven Keown refused bail after studying pictures of the victim’s wounds.
“This case involves allegations of extreme violence and when I look at the photographs, if someone told me they were fatal I wouldn’t have been surprised,” Mr Keown said.
Adedokum was remanded in custody until March 24.
English (United States) ·