Man appears in court following pre-Christmas incident in Ballymena
A 43-year-old appeared in court on Thursday (April 16) charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a man and possessing a 'meat cleaver' as a offensive weapon in connection with a pre-Christmas incident in Ballymena.
Osmond James Clail, with an address listed as Chichester Park East in Ballymena, is charged with causing grievous bodily injury to Ryan Moore on December 23 last year.
Images of two men covered in blood in an incident in the Ballee area of Ballymena were widely circulated on social media in December.
One newspaper featured photos of the incident on the front page under the headline 'Christmas bloodbath'.
No details regarding the background to the charges were given at court on Thursday.
A police officer believed she could connect the accused Clail to the charge. A prosecutor said there is "a lot of evidence" in the case file.
The accused is on continuing bail. No details of the bail were read out at the court. The case was adjourned to May 14.
In December, a police spokesperson had said: "Police received and responded to reports of an assault in the Drumtara area of Ballymena on Tuesday 23rd December. Shortly after 10.30am officers received a report of two men involved in an altercation in the area.
"Colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service also attended the scene, where they administered medical treatment, before both men were taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.
"One man aged in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon with intent."