A man accused of hijacking a motorist under threat of being shot with a Glock pistol is to be released from custody, a High Court judge has ruled.
Ashton Connery, 23, was granted bail on Thursday on charges of being among a trio who punched and warned the victim that he would be “hurt” if he did not drive them to shops in south Belfast.
Mr Justice Kinney banned him from the area where the incident took place.
Connery, of Carn End in Holywood, Co Down, faces charges of false imprisonment, hijacking, assault and theft.
Prosecutors said three men got into the injured party’s Seat Leon while he was parked at Fitzroy Avenue on July 10 last year.
One of them allegedly declared: “You’re taking us to the shop now or we are going to hurt you.”
The victim drove them to a Spar outlet on the Ravenhill Road, where it was claimed Connery got out and forced him to hand over £10.
Using the money to buy cigarettes, the defendant also stole confectionery from the store, according to the prosecution.
When Connery allegedly returned to the car the driver was directed to take all three men to the nearby Forestside Shopping Centre.
At one point he tried to escape, but one of the hijackers punched him about the head and wrestled for control of the vehicle to keep it on the road.
It was alleged that Connery told him: “I have got a Glock down my trousers and if you don’t keep doing what we tell you I will shoot you.”
There is no suggestion that a gun was produced at any stage during the incident.
Eventually the victim managed to get out of his car, pursued by the men before he reached a filling station to seek help.
Based on descriptions of the hijackers, Connery and a co-accused were stopped on the Newtownards Road area of east Belfast less than two hours later.