´óÏó´«Ã½

A taxi driver recorded allegedly threatening a passenger with a gun must remain in custody, a judge has ruled.

Brian Stalford, 49, of Park Avenue, in Belfast, was refused bail amid claims that he used the pistol to strike the victim over a suspected drug debt.

His lawyer argued that he has been detained for three months in "surreal" circumstances where police have received no statement of complaint.

But the judge said he does not believe there are grounds for release.

District Judge George Conner said: "I do not believe we have moved sufficiently forward for delay to be a ground for releasing Mr Stalford."

Mr Stalford faces charges of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, common assault and making threats to kill during a taxi journey on 26 March this year.

He is further accused of having a class A controlled drug when police arrested him in June.

Detectives launched an investigation after the dash-cam footage, recorded in Holywood, County Down, was posted online.

The recording shows Mr Stalford dressed in a FonaCab uniform and pointing a gun directly at his front seat passenger's face and knees, according to the prosecution.

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

A previous court heard he attempted to flee once the clip went viral, with a bag containing a sentimental family photograph packed when police went to arrest him.

In a prepared statement, Mr Stalford claimed the taxi incident had been a "consensual planned prank".

At Belfast Magistrates' Court on Friday, prosecution counsel confirmed there is to be further forensic analysis of the video depicting either a real or fake gun.

Defence solicitor Mark Austin argued that his client is being held in continued custody amid delays over a "half baked" investigation file.

"He is faced with the surreal set of circumstances where he is accused of threatening someone who hasn't made a complaint to the police," Mr Austin said.

"Mr Stalford is not the most sinister person to appear before any of these courts this morning."

Denying bail, Mr Stalford was remanded in continuing custody until 6 October.