A man who was caught in possession of a ‘firearm’ claimed he was protecting the ‘troublesome’ brother of a recently murdered woman, a court heard.
Christopher Williams was detained by security guards in Swindon town centre – who believed he may have had a knife concealed down his trousers – on Saturday (28 May).
Prosecutor Tom Power said the 30-year-old defendant raised the suspicions of security staff outside The Wyvern Tavern in Bridge Street shortly after midnight.
The concerned security officers gave chase towards Fleet Street, before being assisted by an Evo 69 club doorman – who detained Williams on the ground.
He was heard shouting “It’s a firearm. I’m his bodyguard, his personal bodyguard”, Mr Power added.
PC Jonathan Kilburn was one of the first officers to attend the scene. Taking the weapon from the defendant’s waistband, he is said to have genuinely believed it was a firearm.
The weapon was later confirmed to be an imitation firearm in the form of an air gun.
At Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday (30 May), the defendant, of Hagley Road West, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the possession of an imitation firearm in a public place.
Mr Power said Williams was a registered sex offender, jailed for six months in 2019 for possession of a knife and severed a lengthy sentence for robbery in 2014.
Mark Glendenning, defending, said his client resides in Birmingham, but following the murder of his friend – Shannon Stanley – he’d visited Swindon to be with her brother ahead of her funeral on 8 June.
Shannon was stabbed to death at a property in Small Heath on 10 May, with a man charged with her murder.
Mr Glendenning added that her killing has affected Williams “quite significantly” and was concerned for the welfare of Shannon’s brother who has been “getting himself into trouble”.
He described the defendant as a “Walter Mitty-type”, adding that the weapon was not brandished at any point.
The case was adjourned to 5 July for a pre-sentence report (PSR) to be compiled. Williams was released on bail, with only one condition – to work with the probation service to complete a PSR.
