Ballymena assault victim 'fighting for his life' as boxer appears in court charged with attack

Leon Clarke (20), of Craigstown Road near Kells, is charged in relation to an incident in the early hours of Sunday outside a pub in the Ballymoney Street area of Ballymena.

A police officer said a man is in a critical condition in intensive care in hospital following the incident when he was punched a number of times and fell backwards and struck his head on the ground.

The accused was at Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday.

Objecting to bail, a police officer said ambulance service was called around 2am on Sunday following an incident "outside the Grouse Bar".

A man was unconscious on the ground with "quite severe facial and head injuries". He was taken to Antrim Area Hospital and then on to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

The officer said CCTV showed a person, who he believed to be the defendant, "in some discussion with the victim immediately before the assault" in a pedestrian area outside the bar.

He said there had been an interaction between the two men. The defendant allegedly threw a pint of beer over the man and then threw the disposable glass down and "launches five punches at the man's head”.

The officer said it appeared the victim was probably rendered unconscious whilst falling and he banged his head quite severely on the pavement. He also lost a tooth.

CCTV showed the victim on the ground with the defendant standing over him and then the defendant walked away and subsequently left the scene before the attendance of ambulance and police.

Police had gone to speak to the defendant the next day and the defendant then presented himself at Ballymena Police Station on Sunday afternoon.

The officer said that when interviewed the defendant said he had struck the victim saying he did so "because he felt under threat himself, so he put forward a self-defence argument".

The officer said the defendant had shown remorse and concern for the victim.

The defendant works as a tyre fitter and has a clear record. The officer said the footage showed a very sustained attack and the defendant "by his own admission is a trained boxer".

The officer said the defendant had attempted to strike the man about the head five times in very quick succession when "there was no violence towards him at that point".

The court was told the victim is in a critical condition in hospital and is fighting for his life after brain surgery.

The officer said the defendant said he had been drinking double whiskeys all day in Belfast on Saturday.

The officer said the CCTV showed the victim and defendant in very close proximity. The victim was lighting a cigarette and his "elbows were raised" and the defendant is "saying he was elbowed but there doesn't appear to be a strike, there may have been contact".

The victim walked towards the defendant with open palms and then drink was thrown by the defendant. The victim looks down at his wet clothes and then the five punches were launched, the officer said.

"There is no striking action in my mind from the victim," said the officer.

A defence solicitor said there was a "real expression of sorrow" from the defendant "from the outset".

He said the defendant had not had any drink for a number of months up until the weekend.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant accepted he had too much alcohol taken and he accepts he struck the complainant.

The judge said: "There are far too many young men involved in alcohol -fuelled fights in and around public houses. We have all heard of one punch type cases. This isn't even a one punch case this is multiple punches."

He added "this is a timely reminder to anyone not to lift your fists" because people can fall back and hit their head.

Bail was refused and the case was adjourned to Ballymena Magistrates' Court on July 17.