A MAN has appeared in court in connection with the alleged stabbing at Boscombe’s Sovereign Centre earlier this month.

Rajeshwar Bhinder, 45, did not enter a plea to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 99p store employee Mamadou Diallo when he appeared over prison video link at Bournemouth Crown Court on yesterday.

The defendant is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon in relation to the incident, which took place on Thursday, May 8.

The case has been adjourned, and Bhinder, from Walpole Road in Boscombe, will attend the court for a plea and case management hearing on July 11.

Nick Robinson, defending, said there would be no application for bail during the preliminary hearing, and Judge John Harrow remanded Bhinder into custody until the date of his next appearance.

The Sovereign Centre was evacuated following the alleged incident.

Emergency services were called to the shopping centre at around 1pm on the day after a man in his 20s suffered wounds to his stomach.

He was taken to Royal Bournemouth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Shoppers said they had seen the alleged victim collapsed on the floor.