A man was caught with a fake gun in his bed when police entered his home after hearing him verbally abusing his own mother.
Nathan Halliwell, 23, pulled back the covers of his bed to reveal an imitation firearm when police went to talk to him on December 19 2022.
Officers had been called to the home on Brookway Lane, St Helens, at around 8am by Halliwell's mother, who told them her son had argued with his girlfriend and was threatening to harm himself.
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Police searched a nearby wooded area, where Halliwell was last seen, for an hour before returning to the house, where they saw Halliwell in the first floor window shouting at his mother: "f*** off, you f***ing rat".
His mother let the three officers into the house and they went into Halliwell's bedroom, where Halliwell continued to be verbally abusive and appeared drunk. The dad-of-three then pulled the duvet from his bed to reveal what appeared to be a gun.
He was arrested, and on his way to the station he caused damage to the police vehicle by spitting. He continued to behave aggressively in custody and called one police officer a homophobic slur.
A search of his property located two 4.62mm calibre cartridges with live rounds. The handgun was found to be a CO2-powered air pistol, and so unable to fire the bullets.
Halliwell appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, May 5, where he pleaded guilty to charges of possession of ammunition, criminal damage, and threatening behaviour.
Peter Killen, prosecuting, said: "The defendant explained the pistol had been bought in Blackpool years ago and he had been cleaning his room and left it on the bed. He wanted to be left alone and threw the bed covers off the bed in frustration.
"He said the bullets had been in his house for as long as he could remember."
Callum Ross, defending, said: "(Halliwell) is 23-years-old; he's still living with his mother as per his bail conditions. He does have a long term partner, they have been together some three years and they have three young children who this defendant assists with the care of in usual circumstances, as his partner has severe epilepsy. He's also a registered carer for his mother.
"He has aspirations of finding employment."
Judge Nicholas Williams said Halliwell, who has nine convictions for 12 offences, would benefit from intervention by the probation service. He sentenced him to an 18 month community order, and ordered him to take part in up to 20 days of rehabilitation, and to attend a thinking skills programme.
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