Paul Keith Bennison, 37, appeared at Wirral Magistrates Court on July 20, 2026, charged with multiple firearm and weapons offenses after shots were fired at a house on Lemon Tree Walk in Thatto Heath, St Helens. As he stood in the dock, Bennison declared, 'I've not done anything wrong.'
Incident and Arrest
Armed police were called to the cul-de-sac at around 9am on Saturday, July 18, following reports of shots fired towards a property. Officers recovered a BB gun and a blank-firing pistol at the scene. A 37-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of firearms offenses. Multiple police vehicles, including a Matrix van, along with sniffer dogs, remained on the street that afternoon. Several properties to the rear were cordoned off, and officers searched bushes and a footpath leading to nearby Royal Grove. A black car parked on a driveway was searched by a sniffer dog and later recovered by a tow truck.
Charges and Court Appearance
Bennison, of Royal Grove, Thatto Heath, faces two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He is also charged with five counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, relating to machetes, flick knives, butterfly knives, an extendable baton, and a smoke grenade. Representing himself in court, he wore a grey sweatshirt and jogging bottoms, with short brown hair and a thin moustache. When asked if he posed a threat to the public, he replied, 'Definitely not.' The magistrate asked if he had anything else to say, and he responded, 'That's all.' He was remanded in custody to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on August 17.
Residents' Accounts and Evidence
Residents of Lemon Tree Walk told the Liverpool Echo they heard what sounded like gunshots at around 1:30am on Saturday, hours before the 9am incident. CCTV footage from a nearby house, seen by the Echo, showed a man walking down a path at the back of the cul-de-sac with what appeared to be a gun at around 9am. About two minutes later, the same man was seen walking back and appearing to shoot at a house. Further footage showed him standing in front of a police vehicle surrounded by officers.
Police Investigation
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew McCourt stated: 'The blank firearm and BB gun have been forensically recovered for examination by our officers. Our investigation continues in the area of Lemon Tree Walk and I would appeal to anyone who lives in the area, who has doorbell footage that may have captured the incident to get in touch. Similarly if you were in the area and saw what happened on Lemon Tree Walk this morning please contact us. We rely on community intelligence to discover where weapons are being stored and who is using them.'
