A MAN went on trial this Monday (April 29) accused of biting part of his brother’s finger off following the alleged victim’s wedding.
Uche Georgewill (42) is alleged to have bitten the tip of Chukwuma Georgewill Mangor’s finger, on June 30, 2019.
The accused, with an address at Garranmore, Pallasgreen, County Limerick, denied one count of intentionally causing serious harm to his brother. He has also denied one count of assault causing harm to his sibling at the alleged injured party’s house at Curran Birin in Castletroy.
A jury of seven men and five women was sworn in to hear evidence at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
Outlining the prosecution case, barrister John O’Sullivan BL, instructed by Limerick City State Solicitor Padraig Mawe, said the accused and the alleged victim “are brothers and are native of Nigeria, and have been living and working in the Limerick area for some time”.
“The accused and the alleged injured party are married to sisters,” he said.
“The alleged injured party is married to Jessica O’Connell and the accused is married to Sinead O’Connell, who are from the Castletroy area.”
Mr O’Sullivan said the prosecution’s case was that the alleged victim and Jessica O’Connell were “married at the Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, County Clare, on June 28, 2019, and they had an African-themed ceremony at Thomond Park the following day, June 29”.
Mr O’Sullivan said the alleged offences allegedly occurred the following day, June 30, “at or near the alleged victim’s home at Curran Birin”.
“It is alleged the accused man bit the tip of one of the alleged injured party’s fingers and, as a result, he suffered serious harm,” Mr O’Sullivan told the jury.
The court heard the accused had previously worked in sales in Harvey Norman, at Vodafone, and at a medical device firm, and he had been involved in playing soccer in Limerick.
A number of wedding guests, Gardaí, and doctors, including a plastic surgeon based at Cork University Hospital, are due to give evidence in the trial which is expected to last a week.
Judge Tom O’Donnell adjourned the trial to start tomorrow (Tuesday).
He remanded the accused on bail to appear before the court again in the morning for trial.
