‘GUN TAXI DRIVER IS UVF DRUG ENFORCER’
» Court hears dashcam footage links man to settling drug debts » Defendant claims video incident was ‘in jest’ as he is refused bail
A TAXI driver filmed allegedly assaulting and threatening a passenger with a suspected handgun is an “enforcer” for loyalist drug dealers, a court heard yesterday.
Brian Stalford, 48, of Park Avenue, Belfast, appeared in court accused of possession of a pistol or imitation firearm, assault, and making threats to kill on March 26.
Stalford, who appeared via videolink to Laganside Magistrates Court in Belfast, was also charged with possession of cocaine on June 1.
PSNI Detective Constable Campbell with the paramilitary crime taskforce told the court he could connect Stalford with the charges.
He said that upon arrest, Stalford was found to be in possession of a pouch containing powder and was charged with possession of a Class Acontrolled substance.
Det Campbell said: “This follows the widelycirculated dashcam footage which shows a male who was a Fonacab driver threatening a front seat passenger with a handgun.
“The gun is pointed directly at the front seat passenger and a threat is made, ‘You are lucky I’m not taking your effing knees out now’.
“A number of malicious threats are made to a passenger in which he was told if the conversation in the car gets out, ‘I’ll be taking your head off ’.” The detective said Stalford hit the passenger in the jaw with the muzzle of the weapon.
He added: “And then was instructing him to work his debt off, police would say that is a drugsrelated debt and this is a drugs-related matter.”
Det Campbell said the police’s position is that Stalford is an enforcer for the East Belfast UVF but there was nothing to say he was a member. He added: “The other alternative is he’s doing it of his own volition and operating in the patch of an organised crime gang as a rogue.”
There is no charge against Stalford for any paramilitary-related offences. The suspected firearm in the video has not been recovered by police. Det Campbell said he believed it was is “long gone”, adding police had spoken to the two passengers in the video but they have not made complaints. The detecticve said Stalford had accepted the footage was from his dashcam and during police interviews said the video was done “in jest”.
Defence solicitor Mark Austin said Stalford was “very clear” in police interview the gun was not a firearm and was instead a “toy”.
Mr Campbell said the two passengers had not offered a statement and described them as “understandably frightened individuals”.
Applying for bail, Mr Austin said Stalford had no relevant convictions and the last time he was before a court was for no TV licence in 2014.
Bail was refused and Stalford will next appear before court via videolink on June 30.
The gun is pointed at a passenger & a threat is made DET CONS CAMPBELL ON ALLEGED THREAT