North Belfast Stabbing Case Sent to Crown Court

A man accused of carrying out a severe knife attack in north Belfast has had his case officially sent to the Crown Court following a preliminary inquiry.

Alodid, 31, of Duncairn Avenue, appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court by videolink from Maghaberry Prison on Wednesday. He is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on June 8, as well as threatening to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.

Earlier court proceedings detailed the severe injuries sustained by Mr Ogilvie during the assault, including the loss of his left eye and deep cuts to his head, face, and back.

The incident in north Belfast was followed by severe disorder across several communities in Northern Ireland, which police confirmed was racially motivated. The subsequent rioting saw masked groups torch homes, cars, and a bus, with individuals targeted because of their race. Local foreign national healthcare staff were also subjected to threats and intimidation during the unrest.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland previously indicated that Alodid may originally be from Chad. During the brief court hearing, the defendant was addressed through an interpreter and answered "no" when asked if he wished to say anything in response to the charges.

The district judge confirmed he was satisfied there was a prima facie case to answer and committed the case to the Crown Court, with a trial date to be scheduled in due course.