Glenn King: Further evidence added to prosecution file in case of Lurgan man accused of attempting to 'gouge' a woman's eye out

The case against Glenn Robert King, aged 32, from Monroe Avenue, Lurgan, was before Craigavon Magistrates Court where he is charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage and non-fatal strangulation.

The charges relate to an alleged incident in Lurgan on October 9 last year.

-

-

King did not appear before the court on Friday, January 10.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan, who said the matter was before the court for an update, was told by a prosecutor that the file in the matter is awaiting allocation to a senior prosecutor.

"We have been advised that there is further evidence to be added to the file,” said the prosecutor who asked for the case to be adjourned for four weeks.

King’s solicitor Mr John McCamley said: “The only thing I would say about this case is there is no complainant in this case.”

The prosecutor countered by saying: “There is now.”

District Judge Ranaghan added: “We now have a complainant.”

The case was adjourned for review on February 7.

At a previous hearing in November, a detective constable, who opposed bail, outlined that a third party had contacted police on October 9 last year after the complainant attended his home address at 6.30am that morning. He said the woman had ‘visible injuries’ to her face and head.

The complainant was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital by her mother where she declined to provide an account of what happened via body-worn video. However, she did tell police the male had been at her house and was drinking vodka.

She told police she had gone to bed around 1.30am but was wakened at 5am. Later at 6.15am she claimed the defendant had become 'physically aggressive’ and accused him of biting her right hand and further claimed he ‘tried to gouge out her left eye’. She also claimed he caused a wound to the top of her head and ‘placed her in a choke hold leaving her difficulty breathing’. She also accused the defendant of breaking her TV and pulling a light fitting from the ceiling.

Police found King in a bedroom at a house in Lurgantarry. “He became aggressive to police and force was needed to subdue him and perfect the arrest,” the detective constable told the previous court. “Police also witnessed him, at that stage, punching a wall causing damage to it.”

The officer told the previous court that while the complainant has not made a statement, she indicated she was willing to make a statement the following week. He also revealed the third party has also not provided a statement.

At that court the detective said police were objecting to bail due to fears the defendant is likely to commit further offences and he has convictions for similar offending.

“He is a serial perpetrator of domestic abuse and a high risk due to three previous parties most recently in 2022,” said the officer.

At that previous hearing District Judge Ranaghan said: “It is a very serious and concerning incident but that alone is not grounds for me to refuse bail.”