Man was allegedly tied up, had box put over his head and threatened with being burned by hot iron, court told
A man was allegedly threatened with being burned by a hot iron after being tied up and having a box placed over his head.
Details were given to Ballymena Magistrates Court where Kurtis Irwin (27), with an address listed as John Street, Ballymoney, was charged with possessing a hot iron as an offensive weapon with intent to commit assault occasioning actual bodily harm on February 21 this year.
He is also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm; attempted grievous bodily harm; false imprisonment; and theft of a mobile phone worth '£500'.
A police officer said Ambulance Service said a male was being treated in relation to a suspected assault. Police spoke to him at the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine and he said he had been "seriously assaulted overnight" by two males, whom he named, one being the accused.
The male said he had attended the home address of the defendant at midnight on February 20 to "get tobacco". The defendant asked him to hand over his mobile phone and another male entered and threatened to kill him.
The other male punched him several times to the face. The defendant then got involved, striking the injured party to the face.
He said his hands were tied by a rope and the defendant then "placed a bank card into the mouth of the injured party".
The police officer added: "The injured party states that the defendant then plugged a steam iron into the wall, switched it on before then placing a box over the injured party's head, obstructing his view.
"The defendant has then placed the hot iron close to the injured party's back and his face with the injured party feeling the extreme heat coming from the iron, putting him in fear of serious pain and injury."
The male said he was then untied by the defendant and the two males "discussed what else they could do to him".
He said he was assaulted by the other male and after a period of time was told to leave but was told to hand over his house key.
Police later attended the address and arrested the other male but the defendant evaded police by "escaping out a window". The other male was bailed by police, the court was told.
Police found what was believed to be the injured party's phone concealed under sofa cushions. Tissues covered in blood were in a bin. A bank card in the name of the injured party was also found. An iron was found in a kitchen cupboard.
Police later attended the address and the defendant jumped out a first floor window to evade police again.
When interviewed the defendant denied committing any offences. He confirmed the injured party was at the address and said he bought the phone from the male for £80.
The officer said, in another alleged incident, the defendant was recently accused of assaulting a person in a wheelchair on February 11 this year and had been bailed in relation to that.
A defence barrister said the defendant jumped out the windows because he thought "paramilitaries" were at the door.
The barrister said the defendant said he had not assaulted the male on February 21, claiming it was the co-accused.
Bail was refused and the case was adjourned to later this month.