Mechanic denies attacking boxing champ

A motor mechanic today denied carrying out the savage beating which has left world boxing champion Eamonn Magee’s career in ruins.

Magee, 32, has accepted he will probably never fight again after he was allegedly hammered with a pickaxe handle during an attack in Belfast which left him with a broken leg and punctured lung.

But magistrates heard today that Joseph Clarke, 52, has provided detectives with an alibi for the time when the assault took place.

Wearing a long black leather jacket, Clarke smiled at friends as he appeared in the dock at Lisburn, Co Antrim to face three charges.

He is accused of grievous bodily harm on Magee during the alleged beating last week.

Charges of possessing a 3ft baton and damaging a black Volkswagen Golf car belonging to a Joe O’Neill have also been made against him.

Magee, originally from the Ardoyne area of north Belfast, was allegedly beaten after the car in which he was a passenger was intercepted near the west of the city last Monday.

The fighter, who won the WBU welterweight title in Cardiff late last year had been preparing for a major fight next month.

But as he recovered in hospital the former Commonwealth light welterweight champion and world junior silver medallist nicknamed the “terminator” admitted he probably would never be able to get in the ring again.

Detective Constable Brian Mills told the court that Clarke, of Lagmore Dale, west Belfast, replied: “Definitely not” to all three charges.

But the officer insisted that he could connect him with the offences.

A lawyer for the accused said his client strenuously denied the charges and would be applying for High Court bail tomorrow.

He added: “He has provided police with an alibi and also an account of his movements at the time of the incident. “

Mr Clarke was remanded in custody until March 30.