Belfast 'knife attack' victim is out of coma - as family say he may go completely blind

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:35, 17 June 2026 | Updated: 21:36, 17 June 2026 The victim of the shocking Belfast knife attack, which sparked devastating riots across the city earlier this month, is now out of a coma.  Stephen Ogilvie, 44, lost an eye following the alleged attack on June 8 and suffered injuries to his back, neck and face. The attack was allegedly carried out by Sudanese asylum seeker Hadi Alodid, 30, who has been charged with attempted murder over the attack. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard that Stephen lost his left eye during the attack and had to be hospitalised.  In an update on their son's condition, Stephen's parents said he has now emerged from his coma.  But they warned that he may go completely blind. They wrote: 'We are relieved to share that Stephen is now out of his induced coma and continuing his recovery, although he still faces significant challenges ahead.  'The funds raised will help provide Stephen with the equipment, support and everyday items he may need as he adjusts to life following this attack.  'With the loss of sight in his left eye and the possibility of losing sight in his right eye, your generosity will make a real difference to his future quality of life. We have been truly humbled by the kindness of so many people, many of whom have never met our family.'  Riots consumed the city in the days after the attack, and its residents were terrorised by thugs.  Stephen Ogilvie, 44, lost an eye following the attack and suffered injuries to his back, neck and face  Graphic footage of the knife attack circulated widely on social media Terrified students fled Belfast after homes were named on a rioters' 'hit list' in the wake of the alleged knife attack.  Young people have been packing their bags and abandoning rented accommodation amid fears properties could be targeted in a wave of violence that has seen homes, businesses and vehicles set on fire. Some streets in south Belfast's student district have been left almost deserted as undergraduates head home, while others have sought refuge with friends after addresses circulated online. As tensions escalated, a list containing addresses believed to be linked to migrants was shared online, leaving many residents fearing they could become targets. A 21-year-old medical student was loading up her car to leave Belfast after learning a property two doors from her home had appeared on the list. 'It is to scare people, it's scaremongering, but it's better to be safe than sorry,' she told the Telegraph. She added that the address was actually occupied by fellow students.  Others who remained in the city said fear was spreading rapidly among residents. The scene on June 10 in Glengormley, where police fired water cannons and rubber bullets at mobs of masked protesters On June 9, Lendrick Road in east Belfast was engulfed in flames after fires leapt from cars to houses Standing near the scene of an arson attack in north Belfast, a man in his twenties said many students had already left. 'Loads of them have been going home after the "hit list" was sent around,' he said. 'The scariest thing is you don't know who it would be, who did it or who is going to be next. It's terror.'  Alodid, who has also been charged with possession of a knife in a public place, and with threatening to kill an NHS radiographer, is understood to have claimed asylum in Belfast in 2023 after travelling through several countries, including Egypt, France and Ireland. A former colleague described him as a quiet and friendly man. Ali, a 20-year-old Sudanese national living in Belfast, said he had worked alongside Alodid for a cleaning company and regularly played sport with him. 'He liked football – he's pretty good. He was friendly, he is a good guy, but he's a quiet person. If you didn't talk to him he wouldn't talk to you. He could be funny, sometimes serious. He used to joke with us, same as anyone.' Ali said he had not seen Alodid for several months before the alleged attack and added: 'Everyone loves their own country, but we love Ireland as well.  'They are very friendly people, very kind-hearted, I have had many people reach out to check in.' Residents had to be evacuated after houses were set ablaze A bungalow stands burnt-out after it was torched by protesters, near where they tried to march on an asylum hotel The Police Service of Northern Ireland has warned against the sharing of addresses online, saying the practice has left residents and families 'extremely distressed'.  Meanwhile, Mr Ogilvie's family appealed for calm and urged people not to use the attack to inflame tensions. In a statement they said: 'We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work.' They added that the unrest was 'not welcome' and said they did not want the 'terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility'. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.