Martin Joseph Groogan charged with attempted murder

A 43-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with the attempted murder of a woman in Dungannon.

Martin Joseph Groogan, of Gortin Crescent in the town, was charged after the woman was found injured in a house in Altmore Drive on Saturday.

Mr Groogan appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning where his solicitor said the defendant maintained his innocence and claimed the injuries to the woman had been caused by men who broke into the house.

A detective constable told the court the ambulance service arrived at the property to find the woman bleeding heavily from knife wounds to both legs.

He said paramedics applied a tourniquet and that the crew from the air ambulance – which attended later – said this had saved the woman’s life.

The police officer said they spoke to the injured woman later in hospital and she gave an account of asking the defendant to leave the property.

She said he “just flipped” and “slashed her” and that he refused to phone an ambulance and threatened to attack her again.

The detective said when emergency crews arrived at Altmore Drive the defendant was not there, but follow-up inquiries later let them to an address in Armagh where he was found hiding in the roofspace.

He claimed to police he had been asleep on the sofa when “three black males” kicked the door in and attacked the injured party.

The detective said Mr Groogan refused to give any other information about these men and when shown photos of the front door which was undamaged, said it must have been unlocked.

A defence solicitor said there was no application for bail for Mr Groogan, who is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon with intent.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on Wednesday.