Man beaten during 3hr carjack hell

Teenager jailed after knife ordeal

A HIJACKER who subjected a driver to a “traumatising experience” was jailed yesterday. Stephen Allen, 19, admitted being one of three men behind the car attack in the Divis Street area of West Belfast. The city’s Crown Court heard the Volkwagen Golf owner was forced to drive around the Falls with the trio in his car before he was assaulted and threatened with a knife. Prosecutor Philip Henry said the driver – a young mechanic who was very proud of his car – had travelled to Belfast on July 31 last year. But he ended up in the wrong area and three young men – one of them Allen – asked him for a lift. Mr Henry added the driver thought “he would humour them” by taking them where they wanted to go. However, they made him go to Divis Mountain car park, where one of the gang got out and seemed to get something from bushes. Mr Henry told the court Allen, with an address at Hydebank, was in the back while the driver was threatened at knifepoint and assaulted by the front seat passenger. He was forced to make several stops and drugs were taken in his car. After a struggle for his keys with the front seat passenger, Mr Henry said he “relinquished control of driving the vehicle and handed over the keys to the male threatening and assaulting him”. He added: “His car was then driven dangerously, at high speeds and in a very reckless manner.” After burning out the clutch performing ‘doughnuts’, Allen and the two other males left the vehicle and their victim flagged down police. Belfast Recorder Judge David Mcfarland sentenced him to 18 months, half in Hydebank and half on licence.