THREE young men, including one from Warrington, accused of making bogus “active shooter” calls to prompt emergency service responses in the United States and Canada, are to face trial next year if they fail to have the charges dismissed.
The trio, from Warrington, St Helens and Somerset, today (Thursday) appeared for the first time at Liverpool Crown Court facing charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
Counsel for Dylan Ash, Keiran Ellison, both aged 18, and Liam White, 22, told the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary, KC, that there will be applications to dismiss the case against their clients.
Ash, of Grasmere Avenue, Warrington and White, of St Ives Road, Weston-Super-Mare both face three counts of conspiring to commit acts in the jurisdiction of the USA with intent to pervert the course of justice between October 1, 2022 and October 30, 2024
Ellison, of Carnforth Drive, Windlehurst, St Helens faces two of the conspiracy counts. None of the defendants entered any pleas.
The judge fixed the date for their trial, expected to last two to three weeks, to begin on June 1 next year. He also fixed the date for their applications to dismiss for September 17.
He renewed their bail until that date with various conditions including residence at home and not to contact the online organisation, Monkey Mafia.
After they were charged it was revealed by police that their arrests followed a two and a half year investigation involving Merseyside Police and United States law enforcement – including the FBI – in relation to the reporting of fabricated serious incidents. These reports prompted an emergency response in the US and Canada.
The charges relate to so-called “swatting” incidents, which take their name from SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) teams, the US police units that respond to dangerous situations.
