Co Armagh pair to stand trial after a man was allegedly attacked with a sword

Stephen Wilson, aged 70, from Garvaghy Park, Portadown and Joseph Wilson, aged 28, from Lakeview Park in Craigavon, were both before the court facing a Preliminary Enquiry – the legal step to send a case to crown court.

-

-

The pair confirmed they were aware of the charges against them.

Joseph Wilson is charged with wounding a man with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and possessing a sword with intent to commit wounding on August 27 last year.

Stephen Wilson is charged with attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing a baseball bat with intent on the same date. He also faces a charge of perverting the course of justice, that on September 10 last year he offered the complainant £4,000 to ‘withdraw his statement of compliant in relation to an assault on August 27 last year.

Neither defendant objected to the holding of a Preliminary Enquiry.

The background to the case was not shared in court but a prosecutor said there was a prima facie case against the defendants. This was conceded by their barristers.

Both men answered ‘no’ when asked if they wanted to say anything in relation to the charges

District Judge Natasha Fitzsimmons returned the case to Craigavon Crown Court with the arraignment scheduled for June 10.

She kept their bail conditions but released the pair on £500 bail each. She also granted legal aid to include one counsel for both defendants in the crown court.