A man appeared in court in Belfast today charged with attempted murder, arson, assault and unlawful imprisonment following a near-fatal attack on a pub doorman.
Mark Haddock, 34, from the Mount Vernon Estate in Newtownabbey, was arrested in north Wales on Wednesday. He appeared today at Belfast Magistrates Court.
Pub doorman Trevor Gowdy, from Ballyclare, was struck repeatedly with a hatchet, crowbar and baton near a social club on the Monkstown Estate in Newtownabbey on December 20 last year.
Police later found him lying on the ground. His attackers set fire to his car.
Mr Gowdy has since been moved to England where he is under the shelter of a police witness protection scheme.
A police officer told the court that Haddock had replied "definitely not guilty" to all charges.
The officer added he believed he could connect Haddock to the offences and he was remanded in custody to appear again on September 27th.
Haddock is the second person to be charged in connection with the attack.
Earlier this week Darren Moore, 33, an alleged associate of Haddock, also denied attempting to kill Mr Gowdy, falsely imprisoning him and setting fire to his car.