Belfast taxi ‘fake gun’ accused to leave Northern Ireland as part of bail conditions
A Belfast taxi driver accused of threatening a passenger with an imitation gun is to be released on bail, a judge ruled today. Brian Stalford secured release from custody at the city’s Magistrates Court to live at an address in the south of England. The 49-year-old is facing trial for allegedly using a replica Desert Eagle pistol to strike his passenger over a suspected drugs debt.
Stalford, of Park Avenue in Belfast, was arrested earlier this year after dashcam footage of the incident appeared online and went viral. The recording is believed to have taken place in Holywood[1], Co Down[2] on a date unknown between March and June. In the clip Stalford is dressed in a fonaCAB uniform and appears to point a suspected gun directly at his front seat passenger’s face, previous courts have heard.
Prosecutors claimed it was related to a drugs enterprise and that the defendant issued a threat to “take the man’s head off”. Stalford then allegedly told him to “works his debt off” and stated: “You are lucky I’m not taking your f****** knees out.” At one point he struck the man in the face with the muzzle.
Stalford, who accepts being in the dashcam footage, was sacked by fonaCAB after the recording was sent to the firm. He denies charges of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, common assault and making threats to kill. Stalford, who has already been returned for trial at the Crown Court, instead claims the incident was a consensual planned prank involving a toy gun.
He also faces a separate charge of possessing Class A drugs in connection with a small quantity of suspected cocaine discovered when police arrested him in June. Defence solicitor Mark Austin disclosed today that the Crown Court has already decided his client can be released from custody. But due to a technical issue about the drugs charge, Stalford still had to obtain bail at the Magistrates’ Court.
Mr Austin told District Judge George Conner the defendant plans to live at an address in East Sussex. “His passport was surrendered yesterday,” the lawyer added. A PSNI[3] officer confirmed the application was not opposed under certain conditions.
Granting bail, Judge Conner ordered Stalford to report to police three times a week and prohibited him from contacting the alleged victim.
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References
- ^ Holywood (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ Co Down (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ PSNI (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
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