Brian Stalford: Accused taxi driver 'tried to flee from police'

The footage was filmed on a taxi dashcam in Holywood, County Down

A taxi driver who was filmed pointing a suspected gun at a passenger allegedly tried to flee when police went to his home to arrest him, a court has heard.

Brian Stalford, from Park Avenue in east Belfast, was detained after dashcam footage of the taxi incident was widely shared on social media.

A small bag, packed with a "sentimental photograph of his family" was found at his home, a prosecution lawyer said.

Mr Stalford denies the charges against him, claiming the video was a prank.

At the High Court in Belfast on Thursday, his defence lawyers asked the judge to release him on bail.

The 48-year-old defendant is accused of possessing a firearm or an imitation firearm, common assault and making threats to kill during the taxi incident on 26 March.

It has been alleged that he used the weapon to repeatedly threaten a passenger over a suspected drug debt in Holywood, County Down.

'Second attempt to flee'

The dashcam video shows the accused dressed in a Fonacab taxi uniform, pointing the suspected gun at his front seat passenger's face and knees, the court heard.

At one point, Mr Stalford is filmed striking the man in the face with the muzzle.

But his defence lawyers have argued that the dashcam footage was a planned and consensual prank involving a toy gun.

During Thursday's bail hearing, prosecutors claimed that in addition to trying to flee as he was arrested at his home earlier this month, Mr Stalford also got out of police car and ran from officers during a separate drug-related incident days earlier.

He had previously been detained on 30 May, following the discovery of a small quantity of suspected drugs at his home.

"He was able to get out of the back of the PSNI car and run from police who had to pursue him," prosecution lawyer Natalie Pinkteron told the judge.

'Bizarre'

In addition to the charges related to the dashcam video, Mr Stalford is further accused of possessing drugs.

His defence barrister described the taxi incident as a "bizarre set of circumstances" which has caused public upset and embarrassment for his client.

"This was a video recorded with the consent of those involved," he insisted.

"It had been watched, shared and viewed a number of months ago, and the authorities accept there is confusion about how it was leaked beyond that group."

However, the prosecution had argued that both the front seat passenger and a second man in the rear of the taxi appeared to be shaken by Mr Stalford's actions.

"Neither of the other two men found what occurred funny," Ms Pinkteron said.

"It's entirely clear what Mr Stalford is telling male one to do - there's a debt that has to be paid.

"Given (the defendant) is saying he will take his head off or do his knees in, the inference is that it is a drug debt," Ms Pinkteron added.

'Limited self-control'

Stalford was sacked by Fonacab once the dashcam footage began to circulate on 1 June.

"He was then arrested… but when police arrived he immediately tried to flee out of his house," Ms Pinkteron told the court.

"There was already a small bag packed with a sentimental photograph of his family."

After viewing the video clip, the judge said: "The picture is one with clear elements of volatility, vulnerability, adverse mental health and limited self-control."

Denying bail, he ruled there was a "clear and elevated risk" that Mr Stalford could either re-offend, interfere with the investigation or flee.