A man allegedly tried to murder his partner by holding a pillow over her face until she passed out, a court heard yesterday.
Paul Rice (34) is accused of launching an attack at her west Belfast flat after trying to get money to buy cocaine.
Police claimed the woman sustained fractured eye socket, a chipped front tooth and bruising all over her body during a drink-fuelled gathering on Saturday.
Rice, of Springfield Road in the city, appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court charged with attempted murder, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and breaching a non-molestation order.
He denies the allegations, claiming instead that the woman bit and clawed at his eyes and face.
Setting out details of the case, a detective said: "It is alleged that he held a pillow over the injured party's head or face, and every time she tried to pull away for breath he readjusted her head and kept pushing the pillow onto her face until she actually passed out."
She regained consciousness and acted nicely towards Rice in an effort to end the assault, it was claimed.
The court was told the woman also sustained bumps to her head and says hair was pulled out of her scalp.
According to police she later posted photographs of her injuries on Facebook, leading to heightened tensions in the community.
Opposing bail, the detective revealed that Rice and the woman live in the same apartment block.
Defence barrister Declan Quinn submitted that the woman gave an inconsistent account about the incident where others were said to have been present, drinking vodka and discussing drugs.
The detective replied: "She alleged the defendant asked her to get money for cocaine and that's where the assault subsequently occurred, she wouldn't get him money."
But Mr Quinn raised counter allegations that the woman took cash from another man in the flat and then assaulted his client.
"The defendant himself has accepted, in the context of being scrabbed and bitten on two occasions, pushing the complainant back and that she fell over a pouffe," counsel said.
Attention was also drawn to a message accompanying the photos on social media which allegedly read: "Hope someone gets you Paul and puts one back (of) your head ratbag."
Mr Quinn described the attempted murder charge as "using the proverbial sledgehammer to crack a nut"
"This is not a case were you have someone on a ventilator in a hospital," he submitted.
"This lady was fit enough to be taking photographs and sending them around Facebook, and not phoning the police on this man."
Deputy District Judge Anne Marshall refused bail and Rice was remanded in custody to appear again by video-link on November 23