Belfast man accused of punching taxi driver and a tourist in city centre attacks

Conor Jackson, 25, is also accused of choking and kicking an ex-partner after declaring he had binged on drink and drugs.

Prosecution counsel Iryna Kennedy contended: “He is violent and he can’t stop lashing out at individuals.”

Jackson, of Salisbury Avenue, faces charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm, criminal damage, common assault and threats to kill in connection with four separate incidents.

During a bail application the court heard he was first arrested in December 2021 following disturbances at Donegall Place.

A taxi driver claimed Jackson struck the front of his vehicle when he beeped his horn at him for stepping out onto the road.

“When the driver got out and told him to wait for police, the applicant punched him to the side of the head and scraped his neck,” Mrs Kennedy submitted.

Jackson was detained again for another alleged unprovoked assault at Bradbury Place on June 6 last year.

Counsel said: “The injured party was a tourist from England who had stopped at a traffic island to take a picture of a local takeaway.

“The defendant approached aggressively and demanded to see what he had taken a photograph of.

“The injured party tried to reason with him and offered to delete the photograph, but was nevertheless punched and knocked to the ground.”

It was further claimed that Jackson chased another resident at his place of accommodation and “rained blows” on him when he fell to the ground.

At one stage during the incident on January 31 this year the other man had to lock himself into a toilet area, the court heard.

Police were alerted for a fourth time on May 28 amid allegations that the defendant had attacked a former partner and broke a window at their home.

He choked and pinned that injured party to the floor, according to the prosecution, as well as inflicting repeated punches and kicks.

During the incident Jackson disclosed that he had “taken a week’s worth of Diazepam and drank four Koppaberg (ciders)”, Mrs Kennedy claimed.

Opposing Jackson’s bid to be released from custody again, she argued that he has had multiple chances.

“He can’t control his temper at all,” the prosecutor insisted.

Defence barrister Kelly Doherty described her client as having acute mental health problems.

Jackson’s application for bail was adjourned to allow time to put together an appropriate support package.

Mr Justice Fowler said: “I just want to be sure he does not leave custody, where he’s getting treatment for his diagnosed condition, stops taking his medication and becomes dangerous.”