Two men charged with causing grievous bodily harm after Christmas party remanded

Two Filipino men have been remanded in custody at Derry Magistrates' Court charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a fellow countryman at a staff Christmas party.

Jason Monterola Evangelista (29) of Main Street in Bellaghy and Jomar Esta Obanil (28) of New Ferry Road in Bellaghy were charged with the offence that was said to have occurred on December 20 after a man called the police to report that he had been assaulted and named Obanil and Evangelista.

When police arrived, the injured party was sitting in the back of a van with noticeable severe facial injuries.

The man claimed that he had been attacked by both defendants when he was leaving a pub after a Christmas night out, telling police that he was punched and put in a headlock.

He was taken to hospital and it is thought that he has a fractured eye socket.

When police attended his address, Evangelista had a bandaged hand and told police that he had 'punched his fellow countryman'.

When taken in for questioning, both defendants answered no comment to all questions, and Obanil claimed that there had been no altercation at all.

Bail was objected to as police believe that both are likely to reoffend and are likely to fail to surrender to bail.

Defence Barrister Sinead Rogan, representing Evangelista, said that CCTV would show that he hadn't actually assaulted the injured party as described.

She added that he had only been in Ireland for two months after previously living and working in Liverpool and that he has no record here, England or in the Philippines.

A defence barrister for Obanil said that he had been living here for eighteen months and denied the charges.

Bail was refused and they will appear again on January 15.