Student who fought off heroin needle attacker: 'I feel sorry for him, he's troubled.'
21-year-old Megan Johnston was threatened in Bankmore Street in Belfast on Monday evening, by a man trying to steal her car.
Last updated 29th Apr 2017
The attempted hijacking happened in a city centre car park after 6.25pm.
The man threatened her with a heroin needle before getting into the car with the keys.
But he was stopped from driving off by the woman and passers by.
Megan described what happened:
"I was at an interview and I had come back to my car, I was just taking off my heels, I was changing my shoes when my driver's door opened.
"It was a man standing with like a heroin needle syringe and he said to me 'give me your keys, get out of the car or I'll stab you," she said.
The Toomebridge woman said adrenalin kicked in and she instinctively fought back.
"I jumped in on top of him and
"I don't actually know why I did what I did.
"I think it was just fight or flight my body just did what its instinct was and I just had thought in my head he's not getting my car.
"It was after it when I stepped out and I knew I was safe, at that point it all just set in and I was in total shock," she said.
Detectives later charged a 20-year-old man with hijacking, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Despite her ordeal, Megan said she pitied her attacker and hopes he can change.
"I do feel sorry for the man who did it to me because he was obviously troubled.
"So I hope that him getting locked away now will give him a chance in life because he does have the chance to turn his life around," said the 21-year-old.
Megan said the incident has scared her and urged other women and car park users to exercise vigilance.
"Always be cautious and safe. From now on I won't be sitting in my car with the doors unlocked, just be careful because you think that these things won't happen to you and in my situation, it happened in no time at all.
"Just always take an extra second to think."
"Thinking back on it now it has scared me so much because I'm realising that it could have been a lot worse."