Machete attacker ‘sent threatening texts’ to victim’s girlfriend

The 47-year-old man accused of attacking two others with a machete sent threatening texts to the girlfriend of one of his victims, it emerged on Friday.

The nature of the texts was revealed at his second court hearing by police officer Emrah Turgal.

He explained that following the attack, the attacker sent two texts to the woman, the first reading “I cut your boyfriend, you are next. Leave Nicosia,” and the second, “I am going to break your hands and feet.”

The man denied all charges, telling the court, “the police have conspired against me.”

Judge Zehra Yalkut Bilgec ordered that he be held in custody for a period not exceeding three months subject to a trial.

The attack occurred on February 7, with the man hitting his first victim, 31-year-old Mustafa Goren, on the back of his head, causing a seven-centimetre incision.

He then threw the machete at 24-year-old Ibrahim Casun, breaking his tooth and causing a four-centimetre cut on his lower right lip.

Afterwards, he grabbed Goren’s mobile phone and threw it on the ground, causing it to break.

A police spokesman had explained that they found the man in the village of Trachoni later the same day after having conducted a search of the hotel room in Nicosia’s old town where he was residing.

He added that “nothing illegal” was found in the hotel room.