Pants sniffer 'threatened to shoot camper'

A MAN threatened to shoot a former soldier unless he handed over his female friend's underwear, a court has heard.

Liam Harrison, 20, said he was camping on Calton Hill when confronted by IT worker Karim Bourouba on 23 May, 2008.

Mr Harrison claims Bourouba offered to pay for sex with the girl and wanted to sniff her underwear.

The claims came at Bourouba's trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday.

The 29-year-old from Edinburgh denies charges of assault and robbery, two firearms offences and breaching the peace.

Mr Harrison claimed he and a friend were approached by Bourouba around 12:30am on Calton Hill.

He said: "Next minute he has pulled something from his jacket. To me it looked like a gun."

He claimed when asked for her underwear his friend had "freaked out".

He said: "I told her this guy wanted her underwear and he was going to shoot me if it did not happen."

Under cross-examination, Mr Harrison admitted going to prison for an armed robbery in June 2008 and drinking and taking heroin on the day. He was unable to explain inconsistencies in his story.

The trial continues.