code: @Nullable
    public static URI getAsURI (@Nullable final String sURI)
    {
      if (StringHelper.hasText (sURI))
        try
        {
          return new URI (sURI);
        }
        catch (final URISyntaxException ex)
        {
          // fall-through
          if (GlobalDebug.isDebugMode ())
            if (LOGGER.isWarnEnabled ())
              LOGGER.warn ("Debug warn: failed to convert '" + sURI + "' to a URI!");
        }
      return null;
    }
docs: Get the passed String as an URI. If the string is empty or not an URI
  <code>null</code> is returned.
  
  @param sURI
  Source URI. May be <code>null</code>.
  @return <code>null</code> if the passed URI is empty or invalid.