The doorman who claims he was beaten by alleged leading loyalist Mark Haddock is to be allowed to give the rest of his evidence through video link from England, a judge ruled yesterday.
After hearing the "special measures" application from the prosecution, Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weatherup said he was satisfied the quality of the remainder of Trevor Gowdy's evidence was likely to improve if he was granted the application.
He told the court that given the fact Mr Gowdy suffered a breakdown in the witness box the last time he gave evidence, and reports from a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst which both indicated that his condition would deteriorate if brought back to Northern Ireland to give evidence, he would agree to the application.
The judge revealed the reports described how Mr Gowdy would suffer "intense fear and distress" if brought back to Laganside Courts to give evidence as he feared he could be murdered.
The trial, which began in November last year, had been adjourned last January to allow Mr Gowdy to undergo intensive counselling and therapy in an effort to treat his depression and post-traumatic stress disorder suffered as a result of the attack.
Mr Haddock (37), from Mount Vernon Park in north Belfast, denies attempting to murder Mr Gowdy on December 20th, 2002, and also denies falsely imprisoning the pub doorman and criminally damaging his car.
Former army boxing champion Mr Gowdy was beaten with a hatchet and an iron bar outside a social club in Monkstown, north Belfast, leaving him with a broken leg, fractured skull and multiple scalp lacerations.
Although Mr Gowdy has claimed Mr Haddock attacked him, the north Belfast man has counterclaimed that he was a "Good Samaritan" and intervened to stop the attack.