Judge issues arrest warrant in Ballymena for man who returned to Romania “due to heart condition”

Ballymena Magistrates’ Court

An arrest warrant has been issued for a 58-year-old man who failed to appear before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court in connection with an alleged assault charge, as reported at Court News NI.

The accused, Augustin Berchi, with an address listed as Montague Avenue in Ballymena, is alleged to have assaulted a male, occasioning actual bodily harm, on 13 March 2022.

At Thursday’s court hearing, the case was called but Berchi did not appear. His solicitor informed the court that the defendant had recently left Northern Ireland and returned to Romania for medical reasons.

“The client has returned to Romania because of a heart condition and I think left on Sunday,” the defence solicitor stated.

The court also heard that a previous arrest warrant had been executed on Saturday 7 June, and Berchi subsequently appeared in court that same day, after which he was granted bail.

Further addressing the court on Thursday, the solicitor added: “He is in Romania, he is attending hospital. He has a severe heart condition.”

However, District Judge Nigel Broderick expressed concern that the defendant had not made the court aware of his intention to leave the jurisdiction.

“He is in Romania? When he was admitted to bail did he tell the judge he was going to Romania? No. Issue arrest warrant,” the judge remarked, before formally issuing the warrant for Berchi’s arrest.

The case remains ongoing.