Thug caged for gun robbery bid

Man, 22, threatened student at her house

A MAN was jailed for 15 months yesterday for trying to rob a female student at gunpoint on a bicycle.

David Elliott, 22, from West Belfast, was convicted last month of two charges of attempted robbery and carrying a firearm with intent.

A Belfast Crown Court jury heard the victim was a Turkish national studying at Queen’s University.

At around 9pm on January 30, she had been walking home and noticed a man standing near her home at Wellesley Avenue off the Lisburn Road.

Prosecutor Robin Steer said: “As she approached her house, a male on a bicycle stopped and drew up outside.

“She says he put his hand inside his jacket, pulled out a gun, pointed it at her face and said, ‘Give me all your money’.’’

The Phd student told police she ran to her front door and was followed by the gunman who put the firearm into her back and again demanded cash.

The victim replied, “I don’t have any money,’’ before managing to get inside and calling police.

PSNI officers later went to a nearby hostel where they noticed a mountain bike in the reception area.

It was owned by Elliott and police went to his room where he was arrested.

During a search of his room, police found a BB air gun pistol and magazine which forensic tests showed was an imitation firearm.

Belfast Recorder Judge David Mcfarland said the incident had been a “very frightening experience for the student’ which had “impacted on her studies and she had to move house’’.

Sentencing Elliott to a further two years on supervised licence on his release from prison, the judge said: “There is a hope that you could be rehabilitated.”