Man accused of attacking his neighbour's home with metal pole after row over money

Colin Milliken was arrested as he targeted the house on the Donegall Road in south Belfast at the weekend, a judge was told.

The 30-year-old accused, who lives on the same street, appeared at the city’s Magistrates Court charged with possessing an offensive weapon in public, criminal damage and threats to kill.

Milliken was stopped and detained by officers on patrol in the area on Saturday.

“They observed him striking the doors and windows of a house on Donegall Road with a metal pole,” a PSNI constable said.

“The defendant was also punching and kicking at the door.”

A woman who lives at the property claimed Milliken had arrived outside and began issuing threats.

He allegedly declared: “Watch what happens to this house in the next few days, I’m going to f***ing kill you.”

According to her account he started kicking and hitting the doors when she shut herself inside.

“She has concerns and fears about what this defendant is capable of,” the constable added.

Defence solicitor Patrick Higgins insisted there was no previous history of alleged intimidation.

“It is not a domestic (incident) whatsoever, there seems to be a disagreement between the two parties over money, taking the police case at its height.

“They are known to each other, but there is nothing else in the background.”

District Judge Mark Hamill described the alleged circumstances as “disturbing and worrying”.

He said: “The case is that he made a threat to (the woman), she locked herself in the house and this man was trying to get at her.”

Granting bail to Milliken, Mr Hamill ordered him to live at another location approved by police.

The judge stressed: “He is not to be within a half-mile radius of the complainant’s address in any direction.”

Milliken is due to appear in court again on April 5.