Ballymena attempted murder accused remanded into custody after court appearance

A Polish man has been remanded into custody accused of attempted murder.

Damien Charzewski, 32, did not appear at Coleraine Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena on Monday, after a police officer said he was being held in the Covid suite at Musgrave Street police station.

With the brief hearing conducted in the absence of the accused, the detective constable told the court he believed he could connect Charzewski to the charge.

Defence counsel Michael Boyd said while the defendant was "keen to apply for bail, we recognise that realistically it’s very unlikely that the court will grant bail because there’s no address".

Although none of the facts were opened in court, it is understood the charge relates to an incident close to Charzewski’s home on the Cushendall Road in Ballymena when the alleged victim sustained a number of stab wounds on Sunday morning.

The PSNI released a statement at the time saying a man was treated for stab wounds following an incident at around 10.30am on Sunday.

In court the officer at Musgrave Street station said there was an interpreter there who was “taking notes” to recite them to Charzewski and Mr Boyd suggested the interpreter could tell his client his defence team will be in contact with him to arrange a consultation.

Remanding Charzewski into custody, District Judge Noel Dunlop adjourned the case to 24 March.