Polish pair '˜imprisoned in flat and poisoned'

Prosecutors also claimed one of the pair was beaten with a bat, forced to clean his suspected captor’s home and told it was where he now lived.

Details emerged during a bail application by a 32-year-old man charged with common assault, kidnapping and administering poison to endanger life.

Mieczyslaw Krepacki, of Chapel Hill Mews in Lisburn, faces further counts of false imprisonment, threats to kill, having a Taser stun-gun and possessing an offensive weapon.

The accused, also a Polish national, denies the alleged offences said to have been committed over a three-day period in November last year.

The court heard claims that Krepacki had forced both men to drink quantities of vodka and either sleeping tablets or another unknown medication.

One alleged victim said he was punched, threatened with a Stanley knife and pepper spray and struck with a bat.

“He said the defendant made him clean the defendant’s flat, telling him he lived there now,” prosecution counsel disclosed.

It was claimed that the man only got away when police were investigating a noise complaint in the same building.

The second alleged victim gave a similar account of being held against his will.

Police who arrested Krepacki and searched his home recovered a truncheon and Taser stun-gun.

His account of the incident involved asking the two men to clean up the property after damage was caused to it.

Defence counsel Joel Lindsay insisted the alleged victims and his client were friends who had been drinking together when a row flared over money owed.

“He didn’t keep anybody in his flat, both left and then later he was annoyed about it being left in a bad state,” the barrister said.

“He went to (one of the men)’s home and told him to come back and clean his flat.”

Expressing concern at the level of delay in the case, Mr Justice Treacy ordered the Public Prosecution Service to provide a full explanation by Monday.

He also requested details on any mental health issues affecting Krepacki.

Adjourning the bail application, the judge stressed: “What I don’t want to do is let somebody out on the streets who would possibly be a danger to other people.”