Northern Ireland

Man (25) charged with trying to stab a woman in north Belfast house

Conneth Johnston did not apply for bail

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk        23-8-2024 
Police in Belfast are investigating what is believed to be the attempted murder of a young woman overnight at Ballynure Street in north Belfast.
Neighbours say that a man attacked the woman - believed to be in her early twenties - in her home and stabbed her several times before attempting to throw her through a window of the property.
Forensics officers have been at the scene all day and at least two separate scenes in the area are being held pending further investigations.
Police investigating the attempted murder of a young woman at Ballynure Street in north Belfast on August 23. Picture by Photopress Belfast (Alan Lewis - Photopress Belfast/Photopress Belfast)

A man has been was remanded into custody accused of trying to stab a woman to death at a house in north Belfast.

Conneth Johnston, 25, appeared at the city’s Magistrates Court on Monday charged with attempted murder.

Police said the victim, aged in her twenties, was attacked after an intruder forced his way into a property on Ballynure Street last Friday morning.

She was subsequently taken to hospital to be treated for stab wounds.

Johnston, of no fixed abode, faces a further charge of aggravated burglary with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident.

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It is claimed that he had a knife with him at the time of the break-in.

Both charges are aggravated by domestic abuse, the court heard, but no further details were disclosed.

Dressed in a grey custody tracksuit, when asked if he understood the allegations against him Johnston replied: “Yeah.”

An investigating detective said she could connect him to the charges.

With no address available for the accused, defence solicitor Joe Hackett confirmed he was not applying for bail.

Johnston was remanded in custody until September 23