AN ENNISKILLEN man has been refused bail after he allegedly imprisoned, assaulted and raped a man over the span of a day.
Alioune Sow (20) from Belmore Street made his first bail application at Omagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
He is charged with two counts of rape, false imprisonment, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm, kidnapping to commit a sexual offence, wounding, theft and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to cause serious injury.
The allegations date back to May 11, with Sow being kept on remand in Hydebank since then.
The bail application, mounted on Tuesday by defence counsel Gavyn Cairns, was opposed by police on numerous grounds.
A detective told the court that the allegations emerged following a disturbance on Belmore Street, Enniskillen, on May 11.
A resident of an accommodation centre rang police after a 19-year-old man, later identified as Sow, tried to break down a door using a fire extinguisher.
When police arrived and spoke with residents they noticed a man with ‘facial injuries’.
The man disclosed to police that Sow had entered his room and began assaulting him, slapping him in the face and kicking him in the head when he was on the floor.
Sow then allegedly dragged the man into his own room, threatening him with a knife and demanding oral sex from him.
The complainant said that this occurred ‘on and off’ for hours, with Sow continuing to assault him and cutting him with the knife on his head, chest and back.
He said that Sow forced him to get on ‘all fours’ before proceeding to anally rape the man.
After what the complaint described as ‘a full day’ Sow dragged the alleged victim back to his room and told him not to tell anyone.
The Enniskillen man was later arrested and made a ‘no comment interview’. The knives alleged to have been used were also located by police.
Opposing bail, the detectible said that Sow was ‘well known’ to police, having 38 prior convictions including assaults and a burglary.
However the detective said that these alleged offences ‘were a serious escalation’ and noted that if convicted Sow may be facing ‘considerable time’ in custody if convicted.
He added that this prospect may make Sow a flight risk and reiterated his concerns of Sow’s risk to the public and to the witnesses and alleged victim.
Mr Cairns said that Sow’s travel documents should be with police following a search of his accommodation and highlighted delays in the case regarding digital media evidence.
He added that the 20-year-old had no previous convictions for serious violence.
However district judge Conor Heaney said that Sow was not a ‘suitable candidate’ for bail, citing the fears of reoffending, risk to the public, risk of interference with witnesses and alleged victims and flight risk.
The case will return to Omagh Magistrates Court on February 3 for an update.