Two individuals, Joseph Skelly and Holly Kilmartin, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates’ Court on Monday, facing charges following a knife attack on a 16-year-old boy in Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland. The attack took place around 7:30 PM on Saturday evening at Lough Park, known locally as “the Bog,” where the police responded to an emergency call. The victim sustained injuries requiring the removal of part of his bowel. Skelly and Kilmartin, both aged 20 and from Hillcrest Drive, have been charged with possession of an offensive weapon with the intention of committing an indictable offense and grievous bodily harm with the intention to cause harm.
Skelly has also been accused of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent and common assault. A witness at the scene identified Skelly as the knife-wielding attacker who caused the victim’s injuries. During questioning, both Skelly and Kilmartin admitted to being present at the location during the incident and to being involved in a dispute, but denied having a weapon on their person. Preliminary investigations by the police have indicated that as many as thirty teenagers witnessed the crime.
Both Skelly and Kilmartin have agreed to adhere to pre-approved bail conditions set by the police. The court has yet to set a date for their next hearing.
The incident in Ballynahinch has once again drawn attention to the persistent issue of violent crime involving weapons in Northern Ireland. According to recent statistics, the region has recently seen a significant increase in knife violence, with large numbers of teenagers and young adults involved in such incidents. The Northern Irish police are actively attempting to curb this trend and have recently been granted additional resources to investigate and prevent knife crime
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