Man appears in court accused of carrying out north Belfast screwdriver stabbing

A man was remanded into custody today accused of carrying out a screwdriver stabbing in north Belfast. Patrick Deeney, 26, allegedly attacked another man in a garden outside a house on Skegoneill Avenue last week. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to back and facial injuries.

Deeney, of Skegoneill Avenue, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’s Court on a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm. He also faces further counts of threats to damage property and witness intimidation in connection with the attack. All of the allegations are denied. The court heard a resident alerted police after a man was stabbed in her garden on April 21. When officers arrived at the scene the victim claimed he had been attacked by Deeney, who he knows, and a second suspect currently on police bail. “The injured party alleges that he was punched and stabbed with a screwdriver,” a detective said. “Police observed him to be covered in blood, with injuries to his face and back.” Another woman who works in a local shop claimed she observed an altercation in the area at the time. Three days later the defendant allegedly threatened her not to cooperate with the investigation. Deeney has also been separately charged with handling stolen goods in connection with a burglary at a house in Willowbank Gardens, north Belfast on March 5 this year. Intruders took jewellery, perfume, watches and games consoles with a total estimated value of £3,000 while the resident was on holiday, according to police. Her son was then allegedly in contact on Facebook with Deeney, who claimed to know about the incident. When informed that some of the stolen items had been left in the grounds of a children’s home, she retrieved them undamaged. Fingerprints taken from a jewellery box recovered have been matched to the accused, the court heard. Questioned by defence solicitor Owen Beattie, the detective accepted there is currently no forensic or CCTV evidence linking Deeney to the screwdriver attack. She also confirmed the victim changed his account in three separate police statements, but insisted there had been no ambiguity in naming Deeney as the man who allegedly stabbed him. Mr Beattie submitted: “Mr Deeney denies these charges and would like that to be recorded. “The complainant has been unreliable and inconsistent in his approach… providing statements which chop and change.” Despite acknowledging the seriousness of the charges, the solicitor said the victim appeared to have sustained superficial injuries. “The weapon has not been recovered and there are significant lines of inquiry that need to be followed up,” he added. Bail was refused, however, on the grounds of risk of re-offending. Deputy District Judge Liam McStay remanded Deeney in custody to appear again in four weeks time.

A man was remanded into custody today accused of carrying out a screwdriver stabbing in north Belfast.

Patrick Deeney, 26, allegedly attacked another man in a garden outside a house on Skegoneill Avenue last week.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to back and facial injuries.

Deeney, of Skegoneill Avenue, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’s Court on a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

He also faces further counts of threats to damage property and witness intimidation in connection with the attack. All of the allegations are denied.

The court heard a resident alerted police after a man was stabbed in her garden on April 21.

When officers arrived at the scene the victim claimed he had been attacked by Deeney, who he knows, and a second suspect currently on police bail.

“The injured party alleges that he was punched and stabbed with a screwdriver,” a detective said.

“Police observed him to be covered in blood, with injuries to his face and back.”

Another woman who works in a local shop claimed she observed an altercation in the area at the time.

Three days later the defendant allegedly threatened her not to cooperate with the investigation.

Deeney has also been separately charged with handling stolen goods in connection with a burglary at a house in Willowbank Gardens, north Belfast on March 5 this year.

Intruders took jewellery, perfume, watches and games consoles with a total estimated value of £3,000 while the resident was on holiday, according to police.

Her son was then allegedly in contact on Facebook with Deeney, who claimed to know about the incident.

When informed that some of the stolen items had been left in the grounds of a children’s home, she retrieved them undamaged.

Fingerprints taken from a jewellery box recovered have been matched to the accused, the court heard.

Questioned by defence solicitor Owen Beattie, the detective accepted there is currently no forensic or CCTV evidence linking Deeney to the screwdriver attack. 

She also confirmed the victim changed his account in three separate police statements, but insisted there had been no ambiguity in naming Deeney as the man who allegedly stabbed him.

Mr Beattie submitted: “Mr Deeney denies these charges and would like that to be recorded.

“The complainant has been unreliable and inconsistent in his approach… providing statements which chop and change.”

Despite acknowledging the seriousness of the charges, the solicitor said the victim appeared to have sustained superficial injuries.

“The weapon has not been recovered and there are significant lines of inquiry that need to be followed up,” he added.

Bail was refused, however, on the grounds of risk of re-offending.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay remanded Deeney in custody to appear again in four weeks time.

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