Published Tuesday, 09 June 2009
The court heard that Thomas Charles Hawks, from Rosslea Way in Newtownabbey, walked into the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and attempted to suffocate William Cousins.
It was claimed the accused was discovered in the hospital on Monday with his hands over Mr Cousins' mouth and nose.
Opposing bail, a detective sergeant said Hawkes told police he was disappointed to have failed and would try again.
The court was told that the two men had been close friends all their lives, and that Mr Cousins had suffered a stroke which had left him in a vegetative state.
Defence counsel Mark Farrell said the case, believed to be the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, involved an attempt to assist in suicide rather than murder.
The barrister told Belfast Magistrates Court:
"There was a verbal agreement that the living defendant would finish off the crippled."
According to Mr Farrell the victim - said to be also aged 58 and a well-known loyalist - suffered a life-threatening stroke up to three weeks ago from which he may never recover.
He claimed Mr Cousins and the accused had talked about what to do should either be left stricken.
Mr Farrell argued that rather than attempted murder, his client should face a charge of complicity in suicide.
"This is an extremely unusual, if not unprecedented case," he said.
"From the point of his arrest the case put forward is that this defendant was effectively going to engage in a mercy killing."
A detective sergeant opposed bail due to the risk to the victim if Hawkes was released.
He said: "I don't think it's fair or conceivable to expect the hospital to put any form of further security on the injured party lying in a ward in a coma."
The officer also outlined possible fears for Hawkes' safety if bail was granted, although he stressed the concerns were not due to any members of the victim's family.
He stated that Mr Cousins was a well-known loyalist and claimed "other individuals within the community" could pose a threat.
Hawkes was remanded in custody to appear again via video-link next month.