Man appears in court charged over Belfast chemist robbery

Q Radio News

A man appeared in court today (sat) accused of trying to kill a pharmacist in an alleged robbery incident. 

Standing in the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court, 26-year-old Patrick Campbell spoke only to confirm that he understood the 11 charges against him. 

Campbell, of no fixed address, is accused of trying to kill Peter Wright, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on his colleague and fellow pharmacist Peter McDonagh, possessing a knife with intent to rob and assaulting police. 

He is also charged with robbing a woman of her mobile phone, attempting to rob money from a man and three further counts of possessing of a knife with intent to rob on the same date.

A police officer connected Campbell to each of the charges which arise following an incident at a Falls Road chemists. 

None of the facts were opened today (sat) but a police spokesperson said at the time that at around 9.30am, a man armed with a knife entered the premises and threatened two staff members before attacking them.  

It's not clear which victim is which but the spokesperson described how a member of staff, a man aged in his 40’s, sustained a stab wound to his arm while the second, a man in his 50’s, sustained a stab wound to his chest, resulting in both men being taken to hospital for treatment.

Today (sat) no bail application was lodged on Campbell's behalf so District Judge George Conner remanded him into custody to appear again via video link on 5 May.