A Sudanese man has been refused bail after appearing in court charged with attempted murder after a knife attack in Belfast.
Hadi Alodid is accused of attempting to murder a man, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.
The 30-year-old refused legal representation and made no reply to charges which were put put to him through an Arabic interpreter as he appeared before the city’s magistrates’ court on Wednesday.
Alodid, with an address at Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, was refused bail after a detective told the court there was a fear it would lead to “significant public disorder” if he was released due to “strong public feeling” about the incident.
In response to Monday’s attack, angry mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire in Belfast, with people targeted based on their race.
Police said they “strongly” opposed bail on the grounds that Alodid is charged with an “extremely serious offence” that has “garnered serious media attention”.
The detective said if further offences were committed they would be “serious and unpredictable in nature”, and said the applicant is from Sudan and has links outside of the jurisdiction.
She also told the court he may fear for his own safety or fear a possible long custodial sentence.
The defendant made no reply.
District judge Stephen Keown said the risks were “far too great” and would be “unmanageable by any bail conditions”, and refused bail due to the risk of reoffending, risk of harm to the public, risk of public disorder and risk of flight.
He is next due to appear in court in four weeks’ time.
The court heard the man injured in a stabbing attack has lost his left eye.
The detective told the court that the defendant said “I’ve killed someone, I don’t know if they are dead” while in hospital receiving treatment for a hand injury and told medical staff “I will kill you”.
The detective told the court that at 10.30pm on Monday police received report of a serious assault in the Kinnaird Avenue area.
She said they found the defendant armed with a knife at the scene and removed him from on top of the victim.
She said the victim has lost his left eye, and has deep cuts to his head, face and back.
Political leaders and police called for restraint on Wednesday after an anti-migrant demonstration in the wake of Monday’s attack led to violence, with homes and cars set alight as masked thugs ran riot.
Reacting to the disorder on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable.
“There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.
“It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it.
“Those responsible will feel the full force of the law.”
