Larne personal trainer was allegedly involved in pre-meditated revenge bid to stab man outside his Doagh home, court told
A personal trainer was allegedly involved in a premeditated revenge bid to stab a man to death outside his home, a court heard on Tuesday (October 27).
Police claimed the 26-year-old was among five men who targeted brothers Martin and Danny Steele in Doagh.
Caelainn Campbell appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on charges of attempted murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and possessing a knife with intent to commit murder over the attack on the Templepatrick Road on October 22.
Campell, of Lindara Drive in Larne, was refused bail and remanded in custody until next month.
Three other men, Jordan Campbell, 32, of Kellburn Park in Ballyclare; his 46-year-old uncle Michael Campbell, from Wedderburn Gardens in Belfast; and Sam Kirkpatrick, 31, of Ballyclare Road in Newtownabbey, have already been charged with the same offences.
Martin Steele suffered multiple stab wounds to his torso and arm during the suspected stabbing. His brother Danny also sustained significant facial bruising and swelling.
They told police they had been drinking with Jordan Campell and others at a pub near Ballyclare earlier that evening. An exchange of words led to the confrontation in the smoking area of the bar.
Martin Steele allegedly slapped Jordan Campbell on the side of the head, knocking him to the ground before others intervened to split them up.
An hour later Michael Campbell allegedly phoned Danny Steele and asked both brothers to come out of their house. At that stage five men emerged from a Nissan Qashqai to launch an attack by the side of the Templepatrick Road before the car left the scene, the court heard.
Martin Steele sustained a total of eight puncture wounds, requiring a total of 38 stitches, and a further laceration to his liver.
An investigating detective told the court CCTV footage depicts five men attacking the two brothers.
Danny Steele has also claimed Michael Campbell knocked him to the ground before others joined in kicking him about the face and head.
“At one stage someone had an arm around my throat and I was finding it hard to breathe,” he said in a police statement. “I continued to struggle to get back up, but each time I was knocked down.”
Danny Steele named Caelainn Campbell as one of the group present for what police described as a premeditated plan to carry out retaliation.
“It is believed these males travelled to the victims’ house to seek out revenge over an incident that occurred earlier in the evening,” the detective said. He revealed police are still trying to locate another suspect and any knife used in the incident.
With the defendant providing no comment in interviews, his solicitor challenged the evidence to connect him to the charges.
The lawyer argued it was a weak case in which Danny Steele did not allege Caelainn Campbell took part in the attack.
Seeking bail for his client, he added: “For seven years he has worked as a self-employed personal training coach and a nutritionist.”
But District Judge Stephen Keown connected Campbell to the charges and remanded him in custody along with the three co-accused until November 23.
He stated: “On the police case this was a premeditated and serious revenge group attack – clearly involving weapons.”