Co Antrim man accused of ‘biting off’ a man’s nose granted bail
A 27-year-old man accused of 'biting off' a man's nose has been granted bail.
Alan Hutchings, of Woodland Grove in Antrim town, is alleged to have caused grievous bodily harm with intent and is also alleged to have been in possession of cannabis on April 15.
He appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena on Tuesday, via video link from prison.
A police officer told Tuesday's court the injured party had yet to record a statement and no statements of complaint from others had been "forthcoming".
She said the defendant said a person on CCTV "may have been" him but said he "couldn't remember".
A court last week had been told a man had his "nose bitten off" in Antrim and officers found “what appeared to be a small lump of human flesh”.
At Tuesday's vourt, a defence barrister said the defendant has "vulnerabilities".
Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare granted the defendant bail in the sum of £500 to an address to be approved by police. He is to be electronically tagged and curfewed between 10pm and 6am and is to have no contact with the injured man.
He is excluded from Antrim town and is not to drink. The case was adjourned to May 19.