Slash attack accused allegedly offered to pay victim if he dropped complaint
A Belfast man accused of slashing a rival’s face with a knife allegedly offered to pay the victim on a monthly basis if he dropped the complaint, a court heard today.
John Armour, 35, is accused of repeatedly contacting the other man within days of being released on bail over the suspected Boxing Day attack.
Armour, of Templemore Street in the east of the city, was remanded back into custody on a new charge of perverting the course of justice.
He already faces counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.
Police first arrested him after the injured party claimed he had been slashed during an altercation in the early hours of December 26.
Armour allegedly launched the attack after the other man and a woman spent a number of hours drinking together at an undisclosed location.
The victim sustained a facial laceration which required eight stitches, according to police.
On January 7 a High Court judge granted Armour bail amid issues about the identity of the perpetrator.
At that stage he was ordered not to contact any witnesses in the case.
But he was detained again on Wednesday for allegedly sending a number of messages and making telephone calls to the knife victim, asking him to withdraw his complaint.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard claims that a Facebook profile and phone belonging to someone associated with the defendant were used.
“This contact stated that if the complaint was dropped John Armour will pay the injured party on a monthly basis,” an investigating detective said.
Armour made no comment when interviewed following the latest arrest.
Defence counsel argued that he had been given a chance on bail due to the dispute over his alleged involvement in the original attack.
“Mr Armour was not found with the weapon when police attended and he has denied the assault,” she stressed.
Setting out further details about his ongoing efforts to avoid any relapse back into heroin abuse, the barrister submitted that he is also entitled to be presumed innocent on the new charge.
But District Judge Anne Marshall refused to re-release Armour after declaring the application to be “hopeless”.
She described any alleged contact with the wounded man as bizarre and foolish.
Remanding Armour in custody until February 12, Mrs Marshall told him: “There are no circumstances in which I can release you on bail.”