Court told stabbing accused said '˜I hope he dies'

Angeline Martin (56), of Coastguard Road, Larne, faces one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the man on Easter Tuesday.

A police officer objected to bail and told the court police responded to a report of a stabbing and found blood on the door of an open door and also inside a house at Coastguard Road.

The officer said the defendant was found lying in a bed upstairs and that Martin said she and her partner has drank vodka and “had a fight”.

The officer said the defendant told police: “I probably knifed him, he probably punched me and I punched him back”.

Police then found the injured man “covered in blood” after he had gone to neighbours.

The officer said the man had puncture wounds on his head and chest and was “in and out of consciousness”.

The PSNI officer told the court the injured man said to police: “We were drinking away and the next thing she f**king started on me”.

The man was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital but his condition improved and he was discharged, the police officer told the court.

Martin, who appeared before the court with a black eye, also became aggressive in an ambulance and had to be restrained by police.

When spoken to about her partner she allegedly said: “I hope he dies”.

During a police interview the defendant said she was drunk and had no recollection of much of what happened after she and her partner of ten years consumed two litres of vodka.

Defence barrister Stephen Law said the alleged comments about the partner were made at a time when the defendant was injured and intoxicated.

He said both parties sustained injuries and his client had a completely clear record.

Mr Law claimed the injured man indicated he would not be assisting with the prosecution but the police officer said the man said he would make a statement but wished to continue the relationship.

Mr Law said it was a “serious drink-fuelled domestic incident” which involved the use of a knife.

Deputy District Judge Peter Magill refused bail saying it was a “very difficult case”.

He said it was an “extremely serious” incident in which a man “sustained multiple stab wounds”.

The judge added there was an injury to a head artery and “stab wounds to his chest”.

Added Judge Magill: “It seems very fortunate that he has been released from hospital. That said, we could have been dealing with a murder charge here”.

The judge said Martin had said at one stage: “There is only person I am after” and on more than one occasion the defendant had said: “I hope he dies”.

The judge said he didn’t know if the defendant changed with alcohol and said he could not be satisfied it would be “safe” to release her.

The defendant was remanded in custody to appear back at the same court in May.