Northern Ireland

Man was 'beaten unconscious at Belfast guesthouse and left by side of road', court told

A man was allegedly beaten unconscious at a south Belfast guesthouse and left by the side of a road, a court has heard
A man was allegedly beaten unconscious at a south Belfast guesthouse and left by the side of a road, a court has heard A man was allegedly beaten unconscious at a south Belfast guesthouse and left by the side of a road, a court has heard

A man was allegedly beaten unconscious at a south Belfast guesthouse and left by the side of a road, a court has heard.

Police claimed he was subjected to a "vicious and sustained attack" which began in a room where the suspected assailant's girlfriend was staying.

He sustained a fractured skull and swelling to the brain during the assault on June 28, a judge was told.

Details emerged as 26-year-old Eoin Scullion appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

CCTV footage shows Scullion, of Glasvey Drive in the Dunmurry area, carrying out the attack at bed and breakfast-type accommodation off the Malone Road, a detective contended.

She said the victim had been in a room occupied by the defendant's girlfriend.

"CCTV shows the injured party being dragged out of the room and assaulted in the hallway," the detective claimed.

"He was then attacked again, dragged from the house and left on the side of the road unconscious."

The victim had to be taken into a hospital intensive care unit for treatment.

"His injuries are consistent with those (sustained) in a road-traffic collision," the detective added.

Defence solicitor Paul Farrell questioned why the woman staying at the guesthouse was not detained too.

"There were two people in the room along with the injured party," he said.

Mr Farrell argued that Scullion was the one who made a 999 call and remained at the scene until police arrived.

Describing the background to the alleged assault as "a mystery", District Judge Mark Hamill granted bail to Scullion.

He ordered the accused to live under curfew at an address approved by police, and banned him from contacting the complainant.