Man appears in court over alleged attempt to murder two women who were stabbed in Co Down

Jason Rhodes , 26, of Stream Street in Downpatrick, was charged with a number of offences when he appeared in the dock at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The offences relate to an incident that happened at a property in Stream Street on Friday.

The defendant was charged with two counts of attempted murder.

He was also charge with possession of cocaine, and with possession of cannabis.

Rhodes was further charged with assault on a police constable and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The court was told that the weapon was a zombie knife.

Rhodes nodded when asked if he understood the charges.

A detective constable told the court that she could connect Rhodes to the charges.

No application for bail was made and he was remanded in custody until Thursday April 10.

During the incident on Friday, a 35-year-old woman sustained a serious knife wound to her neck and other lacerations to her head and face.

A second woman, who is aged in her 50s, also sustained stab wounds.

Police said that the injuries sustained by the women were serious but that they were not life-threatening.