A Newry man was left with blood “squirting” from stab wounds allegedly inflicted by his brother in an “unprovoked assault,” a court has heard.
The Magistrates Court in the city also heard that having sustained five stab wounds to his face, shoulder, chest and arm, Mark McAleavey’s lung collapsed while he was in hospital and a police officer said the wounds “could easily have proved fatal.”
His brother, heavily tattooed 26-year-old Barry McAleavey is in custody charged with attempting to murder his brother on January 3 this year and he applied for bail last Wednesday.
Det. Const. Morrison told the court during the contested application how the defendant had asked his brother to come over to his house at Clanrye Avenue to keep him company, “because he was having problems with his partner.”
The brothers were standing in the kitchen when, according to the victim, Barry McAleavey reached into a drawer and without warning, lifted out a large knife and stabbed him several times.
“The injured party ran to the string door and ran down the street shouting and that alerted neighbours who came to his assistance,” said the police officer, adding that Barry McAleavey “discarded the knife in a back garden” but it was discovered and sent for tests.
He revealed “there’s a domestic history between the brothers, with the defendant the aggressor on each occasion” and it was for that reason the police were objecting to him being freed on bail due to concerns that he would either commit further offences or interfere with the witness.
Defence solicitor Gerard Trainor argued that bail conditions such as geographical restrictions, could be put in place to address police concerns but District Judge Eamon King said the risks were too great and refused to free McAleavey, remanding him back into custody and adjourning the case to February 23.
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