Co Derry man accused of boiling water court attack remanded in custody

A Co Derry man accused of assaulting another man at Strabane Magistrates’ Court has been remanded in custody.

Dungannon Magistrates’ Court heard on Saturday morning that the incident came before a planned hearing for a man charged with the murder of Stephen Holmes in Strabane in 2025.

A kettle of boiling water was thrown over a man who was treated in hospital for burn injuries to his face and upper body.

The Dungannon court heard on Saturday morning that the accused, Corie McKenna, 34, of Sheskin Park in Greysteel, denies the assault charges.

The court heard he has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, maliciously attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to a victim and possession of an offensive weapon with intent, namely a kettle of boiling water.

Asked if he understood the charges, McKenna responded: “Yes, I do.”

A detective constable said she believes the accused can be connected with the charges.

Outlining the circumstances, she said a preliminary hearing had been due to be heard in the murder case at the Strabane court.

“It attracted the attention of both the family of the defendant as well as of the victim. Shortly before 11am police received a report of an incident inside the courthouse, outside the courtroom,” she said.

“It was alleged that the brother of the defendant was approached by a male who had a kettle of boiled water. He threw the water at him from a very short range – within one metre. The water connected with his face, arm, neck and back, causing burn injuries.”

She said the victim and his partner named the defendant as the man responsible.

“He was wearing a very distinctive orange T-shirt, and immediately after the incident he left the scene, and a scuffle between the two families occurred,” she said.

“The victim was treated by paramedics, and brought in an ambulance to Altnagelvin Hospital where he was treated, and then he was transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital (in Belfast), to the burn unit for further assessment.”

She said McKenna was located at his home at 11.45pm and arrested, and in interview said he had been at the court and there was a verbal exchange, but denied involvement in the assault.

Bail was opposed by police, who have further witnesses to interview, and described the victim as “being in fear” of McKenna and further repercussions.

Asked whether the two were known to each other, the detective constable said: “I believe just in connection to the incident at court, it’s a murder investigation.”

The judge described “serious charges”, adding it was “not a case I would be minded to grant bail on”.

Defence barrister Joe McCann, acting for McKenna, said he did not dispute that assessment but stressed that his client is entitled to a presumption of innocence.

“It was a busy court on Thursday, a lot of people there?” he put to the detective constable, who responded: “I wasn’t in attendance but I believe so.”

Mr McCann said he understands police will have to speak to a number of witnesses who were in the foyer, and not all will know McKenna.

“Is it a fair suggestion it might take a very long time?” he asked the detective constable, who responded: “I can’t answer in relation to that, I would need to check.”

He asked if there was CCTV footage of the incident, and was told there was not.

He also pointed out McKenna lives a “distance apart” from the victim.

“I don’t for one moment suggest that this isn’t a serious allegation – it’s serious in many ways, particularly serious because of its location, the fact that it allegedly took place at a court,” he said.

“But the fact remains this man has denied that he carried out this assault. He is entitled to the presumption of innocence, he has disputed the identification evidence that has been put forward.

“It seems to me that this investigation is at a very early stage, it probably is going to take quite a long time for police to conclude their inquiries. There has been no suggestion that the defendant could interfere with those inquiries as many of the witnesses that police are going to speak to wouldn’t be known to him.

“He has two children under the age of seven that he sees regularly, he has ties in the community, so we say it is not a risk of flight.

“We say that with very stringent bail conditions and given how long this case is likely to take to come to court, with all the delays that are in the criminal justice system, that you could safely grant him bail.”

The judge refused, saying she has concerns about the seriousness of the offences, the fear of the victim and other witnesses still to be spoken to by police.

“But it is the sheer circumstances and the seriousness of the assault, with burn injuries, and there is a situation where there are potentially other witnesses to be spoken to,” she added.

The case is next to be mentioned at Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on May 13.