Teenager stabbed nine times after fighting erupted

He was also kicked to the head during clashes between two groups on the Laganbank Road area on Wednesday, a judge was told.

Details emerged as two brothers and a third man appeared in the dock jointly charged with the teenager’s attempted murder.

Daniel Kelly, 31, Brian Kelly, 24, and Kyle Donaghy, 21, are all further accused of affray in connection with the suspected attack.

The alleged victim sustained serious, but not life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Daniel Kelly, of Elgin Street in Belfast, is also charged with possessing an offensive weapon with intent to commit wounding.

Neither he nor his brother Brian, from St Johns Close in the city, applied for bail.

Donaghy, of Iverna Close in Belfast, did seek release from custody amid opposition from police.

A detective claimed he was seen on CCTV footage forcing entry to a property during the encounter.

She told Belfast Magistrates’ Court he is not suspected of inflicting any knife wounds, but can be seen on footage kicking the alleged victim to the head while he’s being attacked on the ground.

Donaghy’s barrister, Mark Farrell, contended that two groups clashed amid a party taking place in the area.

He claimed the injured party was present in an upstairs flat when someone threw a container of either petrol or lighter fluid out onto the pavement where his client and co-accused were located.

“Cigarettes were also being thrown down, obviously in an attempt to start some sort of fire. A fight then breaks out between the parties,” counsel said.

According to Mr Farrell, Donaghy accepted kicking the injured man but claims to have left the scene before the stabbing occurred.

“He gave valuable information to police, he gave a picture of what happened,” the lawyer added.

During the hearing it was confirmed that the injured party had been stabbed nine times.

CCTV and mobile phone footage forms part of the police case, District Judge Fiona Bagnall was told.

Refusing Donaghy’s application for bail, she cited the risk of re-offending.

He was remanded in custody with his two co-accused to appear again by video-link at a later date.