Trial for man accused of attempting to murder elderly father

A 42-year-old Co Antrim man is to stand trial later this year, accused of attempting to murder his elderly father, Belfast Crown Court has heard.

Paul Coulter, from Ardtole Park in Newtownabbey, denies attempting to murder his father last summer.

The accused has also been charged with wounding James Coulter with intent to do him grievous bodily harm, and of damaging both a mobile phone belonging to his mother Kathleen Coulter and a PSNI vehicle.

Coulter denies all four offences, which are alleged to have occurred on August 21 last year.

Although no details of the alleged incident emerged during the brief hearing, a bail hearing was told it was the Crown’s case that Coulter beat his 74-year-old father unconscious with repeated blows to the head, which resulted in the pensioner spending five days in hospital.

The bail application was told it was Coulter’s case that his father was attacked by two people who called at the family home in Newtownabbey.

Coulter’s barrister Gavan Duffy QC told Her Honour Judge Loughran that he would be seeking a medical report on his client.

The judge said she would review the case in four weeks time when it is hoped a date for trial can be fixed, most likely in September.

Coulter was remanded back into custody.

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