Leading loyalist 'changed his floor after stabbing man and slashing his face to the bone'

A senior loyalist “changed his kitchen floor” after allegedly stabbing a man in the chest and slashing his face “to the bone”, a court has heard.

                         Dee Coleman 

                      July 23rd, 2022. 

The hearing was also told that despite the victim naming David ‘Dee’ Coleman as the person responsible “for inflicting most of his injuries”, there is no forensic evidence to connect the victim to Coleman’s house.

The loyalist is one of five men facing charges of kidnap, arson and attempted murder.

     Dee Coleman 'flying the flag for the                                    UDA' 

Police allege the victim was summoned to Coleman’s flat in Fountain Street in Ballymena where he was stabbed with a hot knife and had his jaw and skull smashed with a hatchet.

It is claimed he was forced to use his clothes to mop up his blood before being bundled into the boot of a car and driven to a field outside the town where he was dumped unconscious.

A passing bin lorry spotted the near-naked victim, who was “within an hour from death’’.

The court was previously told that the victim was summoned to Coleman’s flat in October last year under the pretence of packing cocaine to repay a debt he owed.

    Coleman once described in court "as          overall second-in-command of West            Belfast 2nd Battalion, C Company                                     UDA". 

It is claimed that Coleman, originally from Belfast’s Shankill Road, “produced a knife, heating it on a gas hob, stabbing the injured party in the chest, close to his heart” before slicing his face “to the bone”.

A police officer told a hearing in Ballymena on Tuesday that the PSNI was objecting to the defendant being released on bail because of concerns he would interfere with the victim, commit offence or not turn up for court.

Those concerns, he said, were based on the loyalist’s convictions for drugs and terrorist offences, including membership of a proscribed organisation.

But a defence lawyer argued there was no opportunity for Coleman to interfere with justice and that other conditions could be put in place to address police concerns.

Bail was refused and the case adjourned until August.

With many thanks to the: Sunday Life for the original publication. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: 'TOP UDA MEMBER' COLEMAN IN COURT; Claims as police probe 27 others.

Leading loyalist 'changed his floor after stabbing man and slashing his face to the bone'

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