Men accused of Westcliff attempted murder

Mar 16 2012 Lennox Herald (main ed)

TWO men are set to stand trial today (Wednesday) accused of attempted murder and threatening to inject their alleged victim with heroin.

Nicholas Connelly, 30, of Cumbrae Crescent North in Castlehill, and 35-year-old Gerard Brown, whose address was given as Addiewell Prison, both deny committing the offences on February 17 and 18 last year.

Both are accused of assaulting a man at a property in Westcliff, repeatedly striking him on the head and body with an axe and knife or something similar, knocking him to the floor, and continuing to repeatedly strike him on the head and body with the weapons.

They are also alleged to have threatened to tie the man to a chair and inject him with heroin, as well as refusing to let him seek medical assistance.

Connelly and Brown are also charged with assaulting the man to his severe injury, permanent impairment and disfigurement, and attempting to murder him. Brown is said to have been wearing a mask throughout, and is also accused of assaulting another man with his face masked, and striking him on the body and head with a blade or similar weapon.

During the trial, the duo will also face a charge of trying to defeat the ends of justice by hiding an axe under the seat of a private taxi they hired for a journey between Westcliff and Cumbrae Crescent.

Connelly is accused of having a knife in his possession at Cumbrae Crescent on February 18 and Brown is charged with carrying an axe and having cannabis on him.

The trial is set to start at the High Court in Dumbarton in front of Lord Pentland.