Woman weeps when charged after stabbing

Woman weeps when charged after stabbing

20 November 2019

A BALLYNAHINCH woman wept yesterday as she was charged with trying to kill a man, who was allegedly stabbed and slashed more than 30 times in her home, possibly with a Samurai sword. 

The man in his 40s is recovering in hospital after suffering several body wounds.

Sara Jane Nelson, (22), of Windmill Gardens, cried continually throughout the hearing at Newtownards Magistrates Court as she was charged with attempted murder on November 17 and also a further charge of assaulting the same man on October 24. 

The first charge relates to a serious assault in Windmill Gardens in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Nelson confirmed she understood the two charges against her. A police officer said that she could connect Nelson to the charges.

The officer told the court that when police arrived at the scene, they were confronted with Nelson lying on top of her alleged victim, pressing towels on to his bloody wounds.

The court heard the injured had sustained 33 stab and slash wounds to his body.

The office said Nelson claimed that the injured had arrived at her home with two men she did not know and demanded money from her before the two men allegedly attacked the victim outside the property.

Nelson further claimed she pulled the injured inside her home “to protect him”, but the officer said police believed the attack happened inside the house as several rooms were blood-stained.

The officer revealed that clothing retrieved from a washing machine also had traces of blood and officers had seized a Samurai sword in its sheath for investigation.

Under cross examination by defence solicitor Chris Logue, the officer agreed that another man found in the living room was “totally unresponsive,” whether through alcohol or drugs.

Mr Logue submitted: “Police say they don’t know if this 22-year-old girl used a samurai sword on this man 33 times.

“There were three men in the house with extensive records. Some of them have been in hospital since, because they took so many drugs.”

Refusing to free Nelson, District Judge Mark Hamill said her bail application was “entirely premature.”

Nelson was remanded into custody to appear again at Downpatrick Magistrates Court tomorrow via videolink as the judge said the case was an “evolving investigation.”

Three men were arrested on Monday along with the accused. 

However, it is understood that a 26-year-old man has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries while two other men, aged 40 and 20 respectively, remain in police custody.