Man ‘held kitchen knife to his own throat and threatened to stab girlfriend’

Stephen Moore, 24, also threatened to stab her as she tried to stop him inflicting any self-harm, it was claimed.

Moore, with an address on the city’s Lisburn Road, faces charges of possessing an offensive weapon with intent to commit grievous bodily harm and having cannabis.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard police went to the woman’s home at Dunluce Avenue on Sunday night amid reports he had a knife to his throat.

A PSNI constable said: “She said they had a verbal argument in relation to £50 which he alleged she had stolen from him.

“He became irate and lifted a large kitchen knife, held it to his own throat and stated that he was going to kill himself.”

The woman told police she grabbed Moore’s waist in an attempt to prevent him from self-harming.

But he then allegedly waved the knife in her face and repeatedly shouted: “I’m going to stab you.”

She ran out of the house to seek help, returning with three neighbours.

At that point, according to her account, Moore went to a drawer to try to get another knife, but was restrained.

Defence solicitor Pearse MacDermott insisted his client only intended to harm himself.

“It’s a sad incident, he was under the influence of drugs at the time,” the lawyer said.

“He denied at interview that he threatened the young lady at all.”

Moore was granted bail to live under curfew at an address to be approved by police.

Banning the accused from the Dunluce Avenue area, District Judge Mark Hamill told him to appear in court again on June 23.