At the time of the incident, Kyle Knell was bare-chested and suffering from a “cocaine-induced psychotic episode,” the court heard.
With Kyle Knell appearing in the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court, handcuffed and wearing a police-issue grey tracksuit, the court heard how the 29-year-old had himself contacted police to report the bail breach.
A police officer told District Judge John Meehan the defendant “contacted the police himself to report that he has consumed alcohol and cocaine at his home address”.
She said that when police arrived, he failed a preliminary breath test and was arrested, adding that despite the breach, police were content for Knell to be released again.
Kyle Knell
News in 90 Seconds – Saturday, August 2
Among a litany of charges Knell, from Tynan Drive in Newtownabbey, is on bail accused of attempting to murder a police officer on 6 January this year.
In addition to attempted murder, the 29-year-old is also accused of possessing a firearm and ammunition, namely a Glock 17, with intent to endanger life, false imprisonment, assault, actual bodily harm, possessing a loaded firearm while drunk or under the influence of drugs, possessing ammunition under suspicious circumstances, theft of a Glock 17, a magazine and ammunition which belonged to the PSNI and aggravated burglary of a property where he was armed with a Glock 17 and magazine.
During an earlier appearance, the court heard how the off-duty PSNI officer was shot in the leg by his own gun as he struggled with Knell.
At the time of the incident, Knell was bare-chested and suffering from a “cocaine-induced psychotic episode,” the court heard.
Having fled from a hotel earlier that evening, claiming that someone wanted to shoot or kill him, Knell arrived at the house in a state of panic, sweating profusely and vomiting.
Residents at the property called for an ambulance but while they waited, an off-duty officer appeared and entered the hallway area and the defendant lunged at him, apparently to hug him.
It was then that Knell discovered he had a gun concealed in a holster in his waistband but despite the victim identifying himself as an off-duty officer, “a struggle ensued during which (Knell) grabbed and removed the firearm from the holster.”
“There was a struggle between them to try and control the firearm” and it was during that struggle that a single round was fired, going through the victim’s thigh and exiting just above his knee.
A woman who was also in the house at the time sustained an ankle injury after fragments from the bullet embedded into her lower leg.
A short time later police received reports that Knell had gone to a nearby shed and then entered another house in the neighbourhood, allegedly grabbing and restraining a teenage boy before he was arrested.
In court today, defence solicitor John Greer said that despite having been on bail for many months, this was Knell’s first breach of bail.
Highlighting that it was the defendant himself who reported the breach, the solicitor told the court Knell was struggling with not being able to see his son “but he knows there is a process to be gone through” to achieve that.
Adjourning the case to 5 September, Judge Meehan said given the police attitude, Knell “will be allowed to return to bail.”