Northern Ireland

Man who assaulted Belfast hotel worker and held guest hostage with imitation firearm jailed

PSNI counter terrorism specialist firearms unit attended scene at the Clayton Hotel

Police outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast, scene of an alleged hostage drama
Police outside the Clayton Hotel in Belfast responding to the incident at the time

A CO Antrim man who assaulted a hotel worker and held a male guest hostage with an imitation firearm has been jailed for 18 months.

Ryan John McIlkerney’s actions at the Clayton Hotel in the centre of Belfast last May resulted in officers from the PSNI’s counter terrorism specialist firearms unit attending the scene.

As well as throwing a glass at a hotel employee, McIlkerney also threatened to shoot guests with an object he claimed was a gun but which transpired was a wrench wrapped in cloth.

From Serpentine Gardens in Newtownabbey, the 32-year old admitted charges of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, false imprisonment and common assault.

He was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court by Judge Philip Gilpin who divided the three-year sentence equally between prison and licence.

Join the Irish News Whatsapp channel

The incident lasted just under half an hour with Judge Gilpin saying it would have been a “frightening experience for all those involved.”

The court heard that around 6.45pm on Sunday May 7 last year, police received a report from the Clayton Hotel that a male brandishing a gun was in the premises.

When officers arrived, they observed McElkerney - who was topless - behind the bar in the lobby area holding a male guest hostage with what appeared to be a gun.

It emerged that prior to the police arriving, a member of staff at the hotel had observed McElkerney pointing what he thought was a gun guests and threatened to shoot them.

The staff member tried to interevene and McElkerney threw a glass at him which smashed and which caused injuries to the employee’s arm and foot.

McElkerney also pointed the object in his hand at the hotel worker and told him he was going to shoot him.

During the incident, McElkerney also approached a couple who were staying at the hotel.

He ordered the male to go behind the bar and get him a drink - and at this point McElkerney held this male behind the bar against his will.

When police arrived, McElkerney was standing behind the bar with the object - which police initially suspected was a gun wrapped in cloth - in his hand.

As other guests were rushing out of the hotel, McElkerney was challenged by officers to put the item down - but he ignored that request.

The male guest being held against his will was also behind the bar and McElkerney told officers ‘I’m going to blow his brains out ... I’m going to shoot his face off.’

McElkerney then allowed the male guest to walk away but lifted a glass and threatened to throw it at the police officers.

Specialist firearms officers then arrived at the scene and McElkerney was detained and arrested.

He was interviewed the following day and whilst he accepted those present would have been alarmed by his actions, he denied falsely imprisoning the male guest.

The court heard that after McElkerney pleaded guilty to all three charges, he was interviewed by a Probation Officer.

He told Probation he considered the Clayton Hotel as his ‘safe space’ and that he frequented it regularly.

McElkerney also said that on the evening in question he had taken medication and had consumed alcohol - and when asked about his offending, he said it was ‘blurry and dream-like’ and may have been motivated by a ‘desire to be shot.’

Defence barrister Joel Lindsay told Judge Gilpin that whilst his client was experiencing “mental anguish” last May, he has “straightened himself out considerably” whilst in custody.