TWO Belfast men who threatened to shoot the son of a bank official if he didn't cooperate have been jailed.
During the incident last March, the bank official was told in front of his two children that he would be 'shot six times' and 'executed' by the two-man gang, who claimed to be 'volunteers.'
The intruders also threatened to shoot his 22-year old son.
Anthony John Davidson (25) from Ladbrook Drive and 46-year old Hugh Martin Jude Kelly from Carlisle Road admitted three charges at the official's north Belfast home.
Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Gordon Kerr QC said that whilst he accepted no-one was physically injured, threats were issued by people branishing what looked to be a real gun and who claimed to be 'volunteers.'
Davidson - who has several convictions on his criminal record - was handed a four-year sentence, and was informed by Judge Kerr that he will serve half the sentence in custody with the remaining two years spent on supervised licence upon his release.
Kelly - who only has one previous conviction - was handed a three-and-a-half year sentence, which will also be spent half in custody and half on licence.
During an earlier hearing, the court heard that around 7.40am on March 14 last year, the pair targeted the home.
When the bank official opened his front door, he was greeted be a man who was wearing a high-visibility jacket and who claimed he was there to check the water metre.
When the caller was asked to produce identification, a second man appeared at the door and a gun was produced. The male occupant - whose two children were in the house at the time - was told to calm down or he would be shot.
The intruders then demanded that the bank official's two children - who at the time were aged 22 and 17 - were brought downstairs and had their mobile phones taken from them.
Mr Steer said that during the incident, reference was made by the intruders that they were volunteers - a move, the prosecutor said, was designed to "create real fear in the family" and which "suggested a connection to a paramilitary organisation."
The court heard that while Davidson told the male occupant "if you don't follow my instructions, I'll shoot you six times", Kelly said to him "your son is of an age where he can be shot too." He was also told during the incident that he would be executed.
The alarm was raised and police responsed quickly. As officers arrived at the scene, they saw the two intruders exiting the property via a patio, one of whom looked to be carrying a gun.
A chase ensued and the imitation weapon, which was designed to resemble a Beretta, was later discovered in a garden.
Davidson and Kelly - who was a security officer with the Housing Executive - were both arrested, and both men refused to answer police questions during interviews.
However, they each subsequently pleaded guilty to three offences - possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, threatening to kill the bank official and also threatening to kill his son.
As the men were being led in handcuffs from the dock, a group of family and friends applauded the pair from the public gallery.
