Man stabbed in neck with Stanley knife outside school in Belfast – The Irish News

A man was stabbed in the neck outside a school in Belfast city centre, a court heard.

Police said surveillance footage shows Owen McDonagh inflicting a five-inch slash wound on a victim in College Square East in broad daylight.

McDonagh, 31, fled the city after the alleged attack on June 12 last year and was later arrested in south London.

Refusing to grant him bail, District Judge Anne Marshall ruled: “It is clear that there is a risk of reoffending, he is a risk of flight and there is a risk of witness tampering.”

McDonagh, of Churchill Road, London, denies charges of possessing a firearm and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard that the victim was stabbed in the neck at the entrance to the Royal Academy Belfast shortly after 4pm.

“He had a five-inch cut to his neck that required stitches,” the detective said.

The injured man named McDonagh as the person who allegedly stabbed him and then left the scene.

According to the detective, surveillance video obtained from a nearby building shows the incident as described by the victim.

Despite repeated attempts to locate the accused, he failed to return to the city hostel.

McDonagh was arrested in London’s Kingston area on August 31 and sent back to Belfast.

During the interview, he denied attacking anyone or having a weapon.

When asked by attorney Kelly Dougherty, police confirmed that the victim had not yet participated in the formal identification process.

“He did not show up, citing mental health concerns about seeing the attacker again,” the detective said.

But he added: “He named him and cooperated in every other way.”

McDonagh was seeking to be released from custody to live at an address in Co Fermanagh.

Rejecting the plea, Judge Marshall remanded him in custody until January 30.

She said: “I don’t give him bail. He went to England after it happened and I don’t know how much of an international record that is.