Hadi Alodid, 31, has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in connection with a knife attack in north Belfast that sparked serious disorder across Northern Ireland. His trial has been set for February 1.
Charges and Court Appearance
Alodid, of Duncairn Avenue in Belfast, appeared in the dock at Belfast Crown Court on Friday morning for his arraignment hearing. He is charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on June 8.
The court previously heard that Mr Ogilvie lost his left eye and sustained deep cuts to his head, face and back as a result of the attack.
Disorder and Additional Charges
The attack, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, sparked serious disorder in several areas across Northern Ireland. Police have said the unrest was racially motivated, with masked mobs setting fire to homes, cars and a bus, and people targeted based on their race. Foreign national healthcare workers were also subjected to threats and intimidation.
Alodid has also been charged with possession of a knife and faces a further count of threatening behaviour linked to an incident in the hours after the attack on Mr Ogilvie. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has previously said Alodid may originally be from Chad.
Trial Date Set
Standing in the dock with his arms folded and assisted by an interpreter, Alodid pleaded not guilty to all three charges during the short hearing on Friday. The judge set his trial for February 1. Prosecution and defence barristers asked for two weeks to be set aside for the trial but both expressed hope it would not take that long to hear the case.
