Man appears in court charged in connection with stabbing

An 18-year-old man has appeared in court accused of attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence.

The charges relate to an incident on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast on Saturday 1 March where a 51-year-old man was stabbed.

Yasser Oumeraci of St Gemmas Court in Belfast is also charged with making threats to kill, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

A solicitor for Mr Oumeraci asked the court for leave to carry out a psychiatric assessment on him, which was granted.

Mr Oumeraci was initially detained under the Terrorism Act as police investigated a possible religious ideological motivation.

He is understood to have been in Northern Ireland since 2023.

He faces a count of threatening to kill a male patient following his initial detention on 7 March.

Further allegations of possessing a knife and criminal damage to tyres on a Volkswagen vehicle relate to an incident in the St Gemma’s Court area of Belfast on a date between 24 and 27 February.

None of the charges have been brought under the Terrorism Act.

Appearing at Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where he spoke through an Arabic interpreter, Mr Oumeraci confirmed he understood the charges.

A detective inspector told the court he could connect the accused to the charges.

Defence solicitor Sinead Marmion told the court Mr Oumeraci was not seeking bail at this stage.

However, she made a request for her client to undergo psychiatric checks.

Remanding him in custody until 16 April, District Judge Steven Keown confirmed: “I will direct an Article 51 mental health assessment.”

He asked if Mr Oumeraci would consent to any medical reports prepared on him being shared with defence and prosecution representatives.

But the accused replied: “No…I don’t need any extra tests.”