Top boxing promoter accused of night club stabbing

Published on Monday 11 May 2009 22:11

A BOXING promoter appeared in court yesterday charged with attempted murder.

Barry Hughes and four other men are alleged to have stabbed Christopher Boyle in Glasgow's Byblos nightclub on 6 December last year.

Hughes, 30, of Kilmacolm, Inverclyde, entered a not guilty plea to the charge at a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow. The case was adjourned and is due to be called again later this month.

Hughes and co-accused Paul Fitzpatrick, Jamie Bryce, William Steele and Allan Eadie are accused of assaulting Mr Boyle by repeatedly striking him with a metal pole and base.

It is alleged that the five men repeatedly kicked and stamped on his head and body, tore his clothes from his body and stabbed him.

Fitzpatrick, 30, Bryce, 26, and Steele, 27, who are all from Glasgow, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. Eadie, 30, has yet to enter a plea.

Meanwhile, in a separate charge, Fitzpatrick and another man, Ross Harris, 24, of Clydebank, are accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by cleaning and concealing a metal pole. They both entered not guilty pleas.

Another man, Ian Irons, 24, of Cambuslang, denies attempting to pervert the course of justice by threatening an employee at Byblos and telling him not to speak to police officers.

The seven men appeared before judge Lady Dorrian at the court yesterday.

Lorraine Glancy QC, representing Hughes, asked for the case to be continued for a short period to allow further discussions with the Crown.

Lady Dorrian adjourned the case until 29 May.