Kyle Knell allegedly tried to kill the policeman by seizing the Glock pistol during an encounter at a house in Newtownabbey last month. The 29-year-old defendant, who claims his drugs may have been spiked, is also accused of injuring a woman struck by fragments of the discharged round. Details emerged as he was refused bail on a total of nine charges related to incidents in the Fairview Avenue and Beverley Road area on January 6.
Knell, of Tynan Drive, Newtownabbey faces counts of attempted murder, false imprisonment, common assault and causing actual bodily harm to a woman. He is further accused of possessing the loaded firearm with intent to endanger life and while drunk or under the influence of drugs, stealing a magazine and ammunition belonging to the PSNI, and trespass to a building. Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard Knell was in a state of panic, sweating profusely and vomiting when he arrived at the house.
He had fled from a local hotel earlier that evening and claimed that someone wanted to shoot or kill him. An investigating detective said: “He was bare-chested and wearing no footwear.” Residents at the property called for an ambulance, but while they waited an off-duty officer appeared and entered the hallway area.
Knell continued behaving erratically and lunged towards the policeman in an apparent bid to give him a hug. At that point the accused allegedly discovered he had a gun concealed in a holster in his waistband. “He identified himself as a police off.