A west Belfast man has said he fears for his safety after being wrongly accused of being a street robber who targeted a tourist in broad daylight.
The Irish News yesterday published a dramatic photograph, initially posted online, showing the moment a man tried to steal a French visitor's camera gear near the International Wall on the Falls Road.
Conor Carson (21) said he is "afraid of being shot by paramilitaries" after his name and picture were put up on social media in relation to the incident on Albert Street.
An eyewitness yesterday told The Irish News how a camper van belonging to the tourist and his girlfriend was broken into at around 1pm on Thursday
A man climbed inside and took a rucksack, a mobile phone and the camera bag.
However, the witness said the tourist returned at this point and while the rucksack and phone were dropped, there was a struggle over the camera.
The would-be thief escaped empty-handed on foot as passers-by came to the aid of the tourists.
There are understood to have been dozens of people in the area at the time.
"It was really quick," the eyewitness said.
"To do it in complete daylight, he just didn't care. It was well rehearsed."
The attempted robbery attracted widespread condemnation but within hours, a photograph of Mr Carson, from the Falls Road area, had also been posted online in relation to the crime.
Threatening comments were made including calls for him to be shot, beaten up or tied to a lamp-post.
Mr Carson's mother, Lisa Jayn Carson, took to social media to insist on his innocence.
The mother-of-one said he and his girlfriend had left Belfast on Wednesday night for a break at the family's caravan in Co Down and only returned yesterday amid concern over the allegations.
She said he had a bus ticket showing the trip and there may also be CCTV footage.
"I am pacing the floors all night. I have emailed all the pages trying to clear his name," she said.
"His photo was plastered all over Facebook. I haven't slept the whole night trying to defend him."
She added: "I know he is no angel but he didn't do this and he is trying to keep his head down. I'm not going to let him take the blame for that."
Mr Carson said he only learned of the allegations against him early yesterday and returned straight away to Belfast.
"When I heard, I burst out crying," he said.
"I feel very intimidated now and I am not going to be able to walk down the street. I'm afraid of being shot by paramilitaries.
"I'm trying to get a job at the minute, to get my life on track."
