Asylum seeker who made death threat is jailed for five months

Abdallah Maiteh (33), of Ligoniel Road in north Belfast, appeared at the city's magistrates' court via video link from Maghaberry prison.

When the charge of making a threat to kill his victim was put to him by the court clerk, the defendant replied: "Guilty. I wish for you to show some mercy.''.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing a knife with intent to cause the injured party grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at around 6.55pm police received a report from the injured party that he had been threatened with a knife.

Police attended and spoke to the victim who said that he currently lived with other males in shared accommodation in Belfast.

He said he went down to the kitchen around 6pm where the defendant was present.

Said a prosecution lawyer: "The injured party said the defendant lifted a knife, pointed it at him and said: 'I will kill you'.

"He genuinely believed what the defendant said to him and went to his room and phoned the police. He said he was still in fear of this being carried out.''

Describing the incident as "a bit unsavoury'', defence solicitor Pearse MacDermott said there was a background to the incident.

"Mr Maiteh is a Jordanian national and has had run-ins with different members in this supported accommodation which is asylum seeker accommodation.

"His views don't fit in with those within this hostel. "He was in fact threatened by this man and went to police the day before and nothing was done about it.

"On that day he felt in danger himself and he accepts he picked up the knife and had words,'' added Mr MacDermott.

He told the court that Maiteh had one previous conviction in Northern Ireland for theft for which he received a three month sentence.

Imposing the five month prison sentence, District Judge George Conner made an order for the destruction of the knife.