Sectarian yob jailed for threatening taxi driver with gun is filmed punching teen girl

Lee Hosie, whose 31 years old and originally from north Belfast, is seen here seemingly flattening a defenceless teenager with a sickening single blow to the side of her head.

The incident - which has been circulated on social media - took place during the early hours of April 1 in a property in Derry.

Hosie was jailed in 2016 for four years after he'd produced a gun and threatened a terrified taxi driver by pointing it directly in his face in a shocking incident in 2012.

That incident took place on the first night of the union flag protests and Hosie had menacingly asked the taxi driver if he was "a Prod or a Taig" before producing a pistol.

He even told the driver he'd have shot him if he had more bullets but he cried his eyes out when a jury found him guilty within two hours.

Hosie is the relative of a former UVF commander from Mount Vernon but the baby-faced thug has since been put of north Belfast for anti-social behaviour and had been living in the north west for several months.

Now we understand Hosie is trying to evade the PSNI once more after it emerged his alleged victim had to be treated in hospital after his latest act of violence.

In the short 12-second clip, Hosie is filmed by a woman in an angry state and he seems to be in dispute with another young female with red hair.

The woman filming him tells Hosie she has videoed him hitting her friend - and that's before he lashes out with the shocking blow.

Hosie then rants at the woman recording the incident.

She tells him: "I just videoed you anyway hitting her."

Straight after she says that, Hosie launches a haymaker on the left-side temple of the 18-year-old who had slipped and was trying to get up and wasn't even looking at Hosie when he punched her.

The woman filming calmly adds: "I got that on video."

His 'victim' is seen smashing into toys and a cup which are sitting down the side of a sofa in the corner of the room.

She appears to be out cold, flat on her back.

Meanwhile Hosie, dressed in a grey tracksuit, seemingly hits the woman with such force he loses balance and falls to the floor himself.

When he gets up he moves menacingly towards the woman filming from her phone, completely ignoring the woman he's seemingly just knocked unconscious.

He throws his jacket on the sofa and approaches the woman while muttering something, before the clip ends.

Now police have confirmed they are aware of an allegation of assault and told us: "Police are aware of a video circulating on social media and are making inquiries."

They also confirmed no arrests had been made so far in connection with the incident. However, we understand officers are working hard to try and track Hosie's whereabouts.

Last night Sergeant Garth Bennett told the Sunday World: "Police received a report of an assault at a property in Clon Elagh in Derry/Londonderry on Friday, 1st April.

"It was reported that sometime between 1.15am and 1.35am, a 18-year-old female was assaulted by a man inside the property. The victim attended hospital following the incident.

"Our inquiries into this incident are continuing, and we would ask that anyone with information about this incident get in contact with us."

Loyalist sources have told the Sunday World they believe Hosie has not only fallen out of favour with loyalists in north Belfast but now also in Derry.

"He had some protection from the UVF because of who his relative is, but that relative isn't involved in the UVF anymore," said one source.

"I think the North Belfast UPRG are after him for anti-social behaviour and he was put out of north Belfast.

"He moved up to Londonderry and now loyalists are after him for punching this poor girl. He's a nasty piece of work. Hardly too brave thumping a wee girl in the head.

"I've heard he's hiding out with a bunch of hoods in Limavady."

During his trial in 2016, Hosie denied producing a pistol and asking the victim if he was "a Prod or a Taig" after being picked up in Belfast in December 2012.

He appealed his conviction, but the Court of Appeal declared the guilty verdict safe after rejecting arguments about opinion evidence and potential alibi witnesses.

Hosie received a four-year sentence in March 2016 for possessing a firearm with intent, threats to kill and making off without payment.

At his trial a jury heard he was picked up late at night in the Mount Vernon area and taken to Donegall Pass.

During the journey the driver said Hosie had a telephone conversation where he spoke about "the Provies had fired a shot from the Short Strand".

He also allegedly told the person on the other end: "I can't say too much, you know the score."

After finishing the call, Hosie questioned the driver on his religion, told him he had spent time in jail and rhymed off his prison number, the court heard.

At one point the victim said he braked at lights near Belfast Metropolitan College, heard a thud and looked to see a gun at the defendant's feet.

He stated that his passenger picked it up and told him to mind his own business.

During the rest of the journey Hosie allegedly kept repeating: "You must be a Taig."

When the arrived at Donegall Pass, Hosie got out and met two men before returning to the window of the taxi.

According to the driver he bent down, produced the gun and warned: "The next time you're cheeky with me I'll blow your f***ing brains out."

One of Hosie's associates was said to have told him to "wind his neck in, we've more important stuff to do".

But he then allegedly persisted by telling the driver: "You're lucky that I only have a couple of rounds, otherwise you'd be getting it."

He had admitted a charge of possessing cannabis, after around £100 worth of the drug was found during a search of his home.

Anyone with information about the alleged assault on the teenager in Derry is urged to contact the PSNI by calling 101, quoting reference number 78 of 01/04/22.

You can also submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/

steven.moore@sundayworld.com