Man who allegedly blinded woman in vicious baton attack over ‘debt’ faces trial

James Carlisle, originally from Craigavon but bailed to an address at Harbour Road in Kilkeel, is charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, assaulting the woman and a man, attempting to intimidate her from going to the police and three counts of having a weapon.

Standing in the public gallery of Craigavon Magistrates Court, the 42-year-old confirmed he understood the charges, which arose from incidents on October 28, 2021.

None of the facts surrounding the case were opened in court on Friday, but a police officer previously outlined how the woman was left blind in one eye and with a fractured cheekbone after Carlisle allegedly attacked her.

In the first incident, he allegedly called at the woman’s house in Portadown while armed with a knife and said he was looking for her cousin over a supposed debt.

When he discovered he was not there, he allegedly told the woman that if she made a report to the police, he would “murder her whole family [and] burn her house down”.

Later that day she visited her cousin’s home in Craigavon. While there, Carlisle is alleged to have turned up and attacked her with a baton.

Returning the case to Craigavon Crown Court and freeing Carlisle on continuing bail, District Judge Bernie Kelly scheduled his arraignment to be heard on April 25.