Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Armed police swoop after false claim
Armed police swarmed an innocent man’s home after his friend’s jealous partner falsely claimed he was threatened at gunpoint.
The specialist firearms unit stormed William Pickup’s address in Herne Bay before holding him in custody for more than five hours.
But following interrogations, officers turned their attention to Daniel Otero, of Ash near Canterbury, who they discovered had told a “pack of lies” to have Mr Pickup arrested. “Malicious” Otero, 33, has now avoided prison after admitting perverting the course of justice. Canterbury Crown Court heard the father-of-two falsely told a 999 call-handler Mr Pickup had brandished the gun in a row over a £10 payment shortfall for DIY repairs.
“The defendant stated the price was £40 and not £30,” prosecutor Liam Edwards said. “He said Mr Pickup was unhappy, walked into his address, returned and pointed a gun at him and said, ‘do you think I’m stupid? I’m not being made a mug of ’.”
Otero told the call-handler Mr
Pickup hired him via Facebook as a handyman on the afternoon of March 8, before unleashing his fury.
But an alibi, CCTV evidence, telephone records and cell site analysis prompted officers to
release Mr Pickup the same night without charge. Otero then became cagey, and detectives suspected the allegations were an elaborate hoax. Mr Pickup had never met Otero, but had struck up a
non-romantic friendship with his girlfriend Chloe, prosecutors said.
A police probe revealed Otero had grown jealous of Mr Pickup before “deciding to get a perfectly innocent retired man into trouble with the police,” the court heard. Speaking of the aftermath, Mr Pickup told the court “nine or so” officers swooped on his property, which could have had an “huge impact” on his community.
“To see police vans and firearm officers at my address would have been extremely concerning (for neighbours). “I don’t think (Otero) understands what his actions have caused,” he added.
A judge branded Otero’s actions “disgraceful, malicious” and driven “by jealousy”. “At the time in the spring of last year you were in a relationship with a lady who has been referred to as Chloe, and Chloe was somebody who met a gentleman, William Pickup through her work, and had formed a friendship,” Judge Rupert Lowe said.
“Not in any sense a romantic or sexual relationship, a friendship.
“When the police are told somebody has been threatened with a gun it is an extremely serious matter and they send the firearm squad around, because the man might be dangerous. “And it costs a lot of public money, about which you had absolutely no concern whatsoever as long as you could get one over Mr Pickup and get him into trouble.”
Mr Pickup was arrested at 4.30pm and taken to the police station where he was questioned as a suspect.
“Very naturally he was very distressed to be taken to the police station like a criminal on a false allegation,” the judge continued.
“I have to sentence you for a disgraceful and malicious act, in which you decided to get a perfectly innocent retired man into trouble with the police.” Otero’s lawyer denied his actions were spurred by jealousy and claimed he was fearful of Mr Pickup because he lawfully kept air-guns, which could bring harm to his family. But handing down a six-month sentence suspended for two years, Judge Lowe “completely rejected” the claims, branding them “lies”. Mitigating, Otero’s lawyer said he was of previous good character, the sole carer for his children and indicated a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity. Otero, of The Street in Ash, was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, 10 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions and pay £600 in court costs.