Woman said she ‘fought for her life’

A judge was told officers deployed the stun gun amid concerns that 41-year-old James William Clifford may have held a knife to his own throat.

Clifford, whose address was given as Richmond Crescent in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, faces a single charge of attempted murder.

The case relates to allegations of a pillow being used against his wife on May 4 this year.

Opposing the accused’s application for bail at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, a detective claimed: “He had to be Tasered by police after holding a knife to his throat.”

District Judge Fiona Bagnall heard Clifford’s wife fears that if released he will “come and finish her off”.

According to police there was nothing spontaneous about the alleged attack.

“It was cold and calculating, he closed the blinds first and asked if she wanted to live or die,” the detective claimed.

“The victim said she fought for her life and fled.”

Defence counsel Neil Moore argued that attempted murder is a difficult charge to prove.

“There are evidential issues,” he stressed.

It was suggested that Clifford could live at an address five miles away from the home.

But Judge Bagnall held that the services require to provide stability for the defendant are not yet in place.

Refusing bail due to the risks of re-offending and interfering with witnesses, she remanded Clifford in custody to appear again next month. ends