Paul Keith Bennison, 37, of Royal Grove in Thatto Heath, has been charged with two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. He will appear at Wirral Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Armed Police Respond to Morning Incident
Armed police were dispatched to Lemon Tree Walk in St Helens at around 9am on Saturday following reports of shots being fired towards a house. Officers arrested a 37-year-old local suspect on suspicion of firearms offences and seized a BB gun and a blank-firing pistol at the scene.
Merseyside Police confirmed today, Sunday, that a man had been charged in connection with the incident. The ECHO reported how residents on the quiet cul-de-sac crowded the street in response to the sounds of bangs and a car reversing onto a driveway.
Police Investigation and Evidence
Multiple police vehicles, including a Matrix van, police officers and sniffer dogs remained on the cul-de-sac. Several properties to the rear of the cul-de-sac were cordoned off, and officers could be seen scouring bushes and a small footpath leading to nearby Royal Grove.
People living on Lemon Tree Walk told the ECHO they heard what they believed to be gunshots at around 1.30am, eight and a half hours before the 9am shooting. CCTV footage taken from a nearby house, seen by the ECHO, showed a man making his way down the small path at the back of the cul-de-sac with what appeared to be a gun in his hand at around 9am.
Around two minutes later, the footage showed the man walking past again in the opposite direction and appearing to shoot at a house. Further footage showed the man standing in front of a police vehicle surrounded by police officers.
Police Appeal for Information
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew McCourt previously said: "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."
