Man is accused of unprovoked assault

Liam Lavery, Ardowen, Craigavon, appeared by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

He is accused of offences which happened on three different occasions this year.

On September 10 he is alleged to have stolen two bottles of vodka from Eurospar, Lurgan, and on August 31 he committed disorderly behaviour, assaulted a police constable and was in possession of an offensive weapon, a bottle.

He is also accused of unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on a male on May 3.

A bail application was made on Lavery’s behalf last Friday.

Opposing bail a police officer said a bar owner was leaving his establishment on the night of May 3 and saw the defendant.

He asked him to move on and the defendant said he wanted to speak to him.

The officer alleged that Lavery carried out an unprovoked attack, punching the victim who was knocked to the ground and received a broken jaw. The owner did not know the accused who was identified on CCTV.

The court heard Lavery handed himself in to police on September 25 and had been in custody since September 26.

The officer indicated that the defendant had a relevant previous record, had received a period of custody and was in breach of a suspended sentence.

He was objecting to bail because there was a serious risk of re-offending.

Mr Gabriel Ingram, representing the defendant, said he accepted alcohol was a common factor in all three sets of offences.

He handed in a letter from Lavery’s partner which said their young children were distressed at not having him in their lives. She was willing to go a cash surety along with his father for Lavery.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, refused bail saying the charge alleged an ‘act of extreme and gratuitous violence’ and Lavery had a significant record.

He remanded Lavery in custody to appear at Craigavon court again on November 28 by videolink.