'Gunman ordered girls to dance'

The trail is being held before a jury at Stirling Sheriff Court

A man pointed a gun at two terrified schoolgirls and ordered them to dance, a trial has heard.

William Officer is accused of pulling out an imitation handgun at a house in Stirling before aiming it at the girls, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time.

He then pointed it at their feet and ordered them to dance, it is alleged.

Mr Officer, 25, of Groomsport, County Down, Northern Ireland, denies all the charges against him. The trial at Stirling Sheriff Court continues.

One of the girls - now aged 16 - told the jury she had been at a house in Stirling when Mr Officer walked into the living room "a bit drunk and loud".

He pointed the gun at our feet as we were walking out the door and told us to dance Alleged victim

Mr Officer threatened to shoot her friend and her friend's father after being told to keep quiet, the girl claimed.

She added: "He went away to the kitchen but when he came back he had a gun and said it was real.

"I just wanted to get out. He said he was going to prove it was a real gun and shoot it at the garage outside.

"We picked up our bags and were getting ready to leave when he pointed the gun at our feet as we were walking out the door and told us to dance.

"We jumped out of the way. We were really, really scared."

Special defence

The girls then left the house, returning to one of their homes, where they later contacted police.

Mr Officer denies pointing an imitation handgun at the two girls, threatening to shoot them, pointing the gun at their feet and ordering them to dance at an address in Stirling on 8 March this year.

He also denies possessing an imitation firearm with intention to cause four people to believe that unlawful violence would be used against them, and has entered a special defence on this charge claiming another man committed the crime.

All the offences are alleged to have been committed while Mr Officer was on bail.

The trial is being held before Sheriff Andrew Cubie and a jury of eight women and seven men.