Stab victim to testify via video-link from secret location

A night club doorman has been granted permission to testify from a secret location in England, during the trial of a Belfast loyalist accused of trying to murder him.

Trevor Gowdy, who is living under a witness protection scheme, believes that he will be killed if he if he returns to Northern Ireland for the trial of Mark Haddock.

Mark Haddock, 37, from Mount Vernon Drive in north Belfast is due to appear in court facing a number of charges, including arson, assault and unlawful imprisonment and attempted murder, in connection with an alleged hatchet and knife attack.

The trial was previously adjourned for three months after Mr Gowdy, originally from Ballyclare, County Antrim, broke down in court while giving evidence last November.

Following the results of a psychiatric report, it was judged that he would be fit to continue giving evidence from a safe environment via video-link.

Mr Gowdy was found unconscious in the Monkstown estate, Newtownabbey, in December 2002.

At the time, it was reported that the victim had been stabbed and beaten with a hatchet and baton and his car had been set alight.

The lawyer representing Mr Gowdy, said that his argument in favour of allowing his client to testify from an English Court, was based purely on a medical assessment and that he feared that that the quality of Mr Gowdy`s evidence was likely to be diminished due to the fear or distress he would experience through being brought back for the trial.

Haddocks defence lawyer claimed that this was an unprecedented move given that the victim had already been in the witness box.

Mr Gowdy`s evidence will be heard tomorrow and is expected to last for at least two days.

(EF/SP)