Elf robbery

A man accused of a stealing underwear from a shop in a knifepoint raid believed he was a female elf at the time, Belfast Crown Court has heard.

Robert Boyd, 45, from Broadlands in Carrickfergus, is accused of holding up staff at the Orchid shop in Belfast disguised in a wig, hat and glasses. He told the court he had been involved in a role-playing game at the time, and his character was an elf named Beho.

He denies robbery but says he may have blurred reality and fantasy. He also said it “could be right” that Beho had intended to rob the shop—although he told the jury he could not remember what was going through his mind at the time.

Mr Boyd, who said he visits a psychiatrist regularly, said: “I can’t believe that I personally did that... and I deeply regret that. If I had sought some help I would’ve avoided that in its entirety.”

Prosecutors claim that Mr Boyd knew “perfectly well” what he was doing on the day of the robbery and was “using this memory loss scenario to avoid answering very difficult questions”. [BBC]