Men ‘shaved woman’s head’ while being filmed, court told

Video footage allegedly taken by Paula Wilson only came to light when her phone was seized after she was arrested in relation to an unrelated case in which a man was found naked and badly injured in a wheelie bin in Ballymena three months later.

Wilson (20), currently of no fixed abode, appeared at court in Ballymena charged with unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, attempting to commit grievous bodily harm and common assault.

Also in the dock were Paul Joshua Balmer (41), whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry; Alister William Hamilton (21), of Shane Court, Broughshane; and Nathan Telford (21), of Beechwood Avenue, Ahoghill, who face the same charges.

A PSNI detective constable told the court that the incident had taken place at a flat at Ballymoney Road where Telford had been residing on a date between May 18-22 but didn’t come to light until October after Wilson’s phone was seized in relation to an “unrelated” investigation.

At this point, District Judge Des Perry interjected to ask: “The bin case?”. The officer confirmed that was the case.

The detective constable said that on Wilson’s phone, police found video clips and still photos of the injured party having her heard ‘dry-shaved’ by three males as she lay unconscious.

He said there were photos of the males “gesturing to the camera”.

When spoken to by police, the injured party, who, the court was told, has learning difficulties, said the only thing she recalled was waking up to find her hair nearly all removed and her face had been drawn over in black ink.

The officer said Telford told the injured party to get out and she returned to the hostel address outside Ballymena where she had been residing in a “traumatised” and “petrified” state.

No bail applications were made in respect of any of the defendants and they were remanded in custody to appear again via videolink on December 5.

The judge said: “It is obviously a matter that is going to the Crown Court.

“It’s probably one of the most horrific cases I have heard in the recent past,” the judge added.