Attempted murder: Court told of 'incredibly violent attack' on man in Kilrea

Limavady Magistrate's Court sitting in Coleraine heard about 'an incredibly violent attack' on a man who said he was 'going to get murdered over a dog'.

Andrew Yearl (27) of Coolnasillagh Road in Garvagh appeared charged with the attempted murder of a man on June 17.

He was also charged with assaulting the man occasioning him actual bodily harm on the same date and a charge of threatening to kill a female.

Yearl was also charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a dog that had to be put down on the same date.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.

The court heard that on June 17 at around 9pm two males entered an address in Kilrea where the alleged victim was sleeping.

They took a pull up bar and were said to have struck the alleged victim thirty to forty times and Yearl, who was identified by the victim, was supposed to have said 'where is my dog?'

CCTV showed a black vehicle entering and leaving the driveway of the property at the relevant times.

The court was also told that earlier on the day a group of males and females had entered the victim's mothers home where there was an incident and the man said he was going to be murdered over a dog.

The injured man had wounds on his head, body and legs and had to be sedated so police had not yet had the opportunity to speak to him properly.

The officer said when police went to Yearl's house they found a dog in a room of its own, the officer said this was a different dog to the one referred to during the attack.

This dog was 'obviously injured with slashes across it's back' and had to be put down.

Police objected to bail but said the defendant had no relevant record but they were concerned about the possibility of interference with witnesses.

The officer also said that the address proposed by the defendant was also problematic due to its proximity to the victim's mothers house.

The court heard that police believed the whole incident was over a dog that had gone missing.

Defence counsel Alan Stewart asked how long was the investigation including forensics was liable to take but the officer said they could not answer that.

The barrister said that his client had no record and gave police an account in relation to the animal cruelty charge stating that he had been attacked by the dog in question and had to defend himself.

District Judge Peter King said the defendant had 'visible injuries' and was told these were consistent with being attacked by a dog.

Mr Stewart said these were 'obviously serious charges' but added his client could be released with suitable conditions.

Judge King said he was concerned that the alleged weapon had yet to recovered as this was 'a key component of evidence.'

He refused bail and remanded Yearl in custody until July 8.