A 32-year-old man has appeared by videolink in Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, accused of attempted murder in connection with an incident on the Cushendall Road area on the 27 February this year.
Damian Charzewski allegedly stabbed his Ballymena neighbour a number of times while the victim pleaded, “Please don’t kill me”.
Police received a report of a stabbing incident on the morning of Sunday 27 February after the victim was invited by the defendant into his house after both men decided to have a beer together.
The defendant is said to have locked the door behind him, and walked over to the kitchen area before immediately proceeding toward the victim and began stabbing him.
A PSNI Detective told the court that the man suffered eight stab wounds - including to his neck and shoulder, five times in the back and once in the side, under his armpit.
During the ordeal the victim found himself on the floor and used his legs to keep the accused at distance.
According to the victim, Charzewski was completely calm throughout the entire incident. The Detective said the injured man pleased with the defendant saying, “Please don’t kill me”.
The defendant is said to have immediately stopped, but threatened, “I’m going to let you go, but tell your wife and son I’m going to kill them”.
At that point the injured man was able to leave and return next door to his own home where an ambulance was tasked to transport him to hospital. Staff treated the victim for his stab wounds and a collapsed lung.
Police responded to the incident along with colleagues in the Armed Response Unit (RPU) who forced entry into the defendant‘s house, arresting him for attempted murder.
According to the detective, there was a lot of blood at the scene.
In the months prior to the stabbing, the defendant had accused the victim’s wife of planting listening devices in his home.
The court heard that following arrest, defendant asked: “Is the man I am supposed to have stabbed okay? I want to say sorry to him. I want help getting out of this addiction.”
The police officer commented that defendant wasn’t fit for interview for “eight or nine hours” as he had been drinking.
Defence barrister Michael Boyd told the court that his client had a history of drugs use and said he had misused amphetamne and cocaine which caused “mental health issues over the years, most notably anxiety and paranoia”.
Charzewski told police that he “doesn’t remember anything” about the stabbing.
District Judge Nigel Broderick refused a bail application and the case was adjourned to 26 April 2022.
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