Belfast knife attack accused urged to seek legal representation

By Jonathan McCambridge, Press Association

A man accused of a knife attack which sparked rioting in the North has been urged by a judge to seek legal representation.

Hadi Alodid, 30, of Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court by video link on Wednesday.

He was told that a preliminary inquiry would be held in his case next month.

Alodid is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on June 8, who the court previously heard lost his left eye and received deep cuts to his head, face and back.

The incident in north Belfast sparked serious disorder in several areas across Northern Ireland, which police have said was racially motivated.

The rioting saw masked mobs set fire to homes, cars and a bus, with people targeted based on their race.

Foreign national healthcare workers were also subjected to threats and intimidation.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has previously said that Alodid may originally be from Chad.

He has also been charged with threatening to kill an NHS radiographer and with possession of a knife.

On Wednesday, Alodid appeared in court by a link from Maghaberry Prison, where he is on remand.

I would suggest that (the defendant) gets a solicitor

District Judge Anne Marshall was told that a preliminary inquiry in the case was to be fixed for September 23, with a review before then on September 2nd.

A preliminary inquiry is the procedure by which a case is moved from the magistrates’ court to the crown court.

The judge asked an Arabic interpreter to inform Alodid of the dates for his hearings next month.

The judge said: “I would suggest that he gets a solicitor.”

When asked through the interpreter if he wanted to say anything, Alodid said: “No comment.”

He will appear in court next on September 2nd.