British soldier charged over assault on Cork man

A British soldier has appeared in court charged over an attack that left a Cork man fighting for his life.

Kyle Harley, (19), is accused of assaulting 24-year-old Stephen Donegan in Concert Square, Liverpool city centre, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mr Donegan, from Shanballymore near Doneraile in north Cork, is in a coma in a “critical condition” at Walton neurological hospital after suffering serious head injuries.

He was with a stag party visiting the city for the weekend and was due to attend Sunday's FA Cup match between Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers at Anfield.

He was discovered unconscious in an alleyway between Fleet St and Seel St near The Walkabout bar.

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 2.20am on Saturday.

Mr Donegan was taken to Fazakerley hospital before being moved to Walton. His parents Connie and Catherine and his sister Sinead have travelled from Ireland to be at his bedside, where remained in a medically induced coma on Monday.

Mr Harley, from Tranmere, Merseyside, handed himself over to police on Sunday. He was charged on Monday and remanded to appear before city magistrates.

Wearing a blue dufflecoat, the teenager spoke only to confirm his name and address. No pleas were entered to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm and the case was sent to the crown court for a hearing on March 23rd.

Mr Harley, whose mother was sat in court, was released on conditional bail. He must report to the police, and reside at either the address in Tranmere or at his army barracks in Salisbury.

A second man, also 19, was arrested and released without charge.