Man allegedly stabbed victim in Newtownabbey before saying ‘I should have killed him’, court told

Seamus Deeny, 31, is charged with attempting to murder the other man at a blood-spattered house in Newtownabbey.

A witness claims the victim’s head was stamped on multiple times as part of the attack earlier this year.

Details emerged as Deeny was refused compassionate bail to visit his grandmother’s grave.

Police discovered the badly wounded man in the living room of the property at Queens Avenue on June 11.

Belfast Magistrates' Court was previously told he had sustained up to seven stab wounds and suspected broken ankles.

Officers went to the scene after being informed about a FaceTime video call showing an apparent dead body.

Based on comments made by the victim, detectives initially believed he had been assaulted in the city centre.

Deeny, from Stockmans Court, and 40-year-old Chantelle Collins, who lived at the Queens Avenue address, were allowed to leave the property at that stage.

Later that night, however, Collins allegedly told a female witness that Deeny had killed a man and she was covering for him.

Further searches of the house uncovered a blood-stained knife, hammer and mop bucket. Examinations also revealed blood spatters on the fireplace and in the living room area.

Deeny was arrested at that stage along with Collins, who faces charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing a weapon and providing a false account to detectives.

She denies allegations that she cleaned up after her co-accused carried out the assault in her home.

As Deeny applied for compassionate bail on Thursday, police claimed he could interfere with the investigation into an attack on someone known to him.

“The victim was stabbed several times… and after the applicant was arrested he made the comment that he should have killed him,” a detective said.

“A witness has also alleged he struck the victim in an unprovoked attack before stamping on his head multiple times while he lay prone on the floor.”

It was further claimed that Deeny prevented the witness from seeking medical assistance for the wounded man and threatened her not to “tout”.

Defence counsel Kelly Doherty raised a suggestion that the witness and victim were alone in the house at one stage while Deeny went to get more alcohol.

She also argued that the injured party has not made a formal statement of complaint.

Deeny's bid for temporary release from custody was denied, however, due to the risk of re-offending.

District Judge Anne Marshall stated: “Going to a grandmother’s grave on the anniversary is at the very boundary of what might be a compassionate bail.”