Victim of Belfast stabbing lost left eye as accused named

The victim of the Belfast stabbing lost his left eye in the attack, a court has heard.

Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with the attempted stabbing murder of Stephen Ogilvie on Monday, threats to kill an NHS radiographer on the same day and possession of a knife.

Alodid was remanded in custody.

The reaction to the incident saw mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire, with people targeted based on their race.

Anti-immigration demonstrations across Scotland followed.

The Prime Minister said: “The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable.

“There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.

“It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it.

“Those responsible will feel the full force of the law.”

Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long said social media agitators who “yesterday would have struggled to find Belfast on a map” were “weaponising the fear that people genuinely have about what happened”.

“Because, ultimately, if you’re driving people from their homes based on nothing but the colour of their skin, you can’t dress that up any other way, it’s racism, and those bad faith actors need to take a step back,” Ms Long told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the disorder was a “huge act of self-harm by mindless idiots who are actually only damaging their own futures”.

Alodid, who was given five years’ leave to remain in the UK after entering from Ireland, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with attempting to murder Mr Ogilvie, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.

He was remanded in custody for four weeks at the brief hearing.

The PSNI launched a “critical incident” in response to the incident which was captured on video and appears to show a man stabbing at the victim’s head and neck while he was lying on the ground.

The clip shows people, including one with a hurling stick, intervening to stop the attack in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast.

A kitchen knife was recovered from the scene.

Police have revealed details on Alodid’s immigration status and how he travelled to the UK.

He entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border in February 2023 having flown to Dublin from Paris.

The suspect claimed asylum upon arrival and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.