‘Suicide by cop’ may have motivated Mersey gunman

A GUNMAN who fired an AK47-style firearm inside a shop and at a cinema on Merseyside may have been seeking “suicide by cop”, a court has heard.

Leslie Garrett, 49, sparked widespread panic in Liverpool in January when he fired a weapon at a number of locations around the city. No one was injured in the shootings, but parts of the city were placed in lockdown as the former security guard ran amok.

Garrett, who has pleaded guilty to a number of firearms offences, had been due to be sentenced yesterday, but the hearing was adjourned after a psychiatric report suggested he may have wanted to be shot dead by armed police called to the scene.

Details of his alleged motivation were contained in a “basis of plea”, but prosecutors said they had not previously been made aware of the claim.

The court heard how on the evening of Jan 3, Garrett had opened fire at a newsagents in Norris Green, threatened staff and discharged his weapon outside the Showcase Cinema in Croxteth and shot at a house in Malpas Road. Merseyside Police declared a major incident and said it was the first time the force had “had to deal with something of this nature”. Garrett was subsequently arrested at home.

The court heard Garrett was claiming he had agreed to mind “an item” and later discovered it was a gun and ammunition. He claimed he held the items for longer than anticipated as the owner was in custody.

The court was told he had been suffering from poor mental health and in his written basis of plea said: “I committed the offences with the wish to be killed by police attending the scene.”

Paul Lewis, defending, said Garrett had a “limited history” in the courts and opened up about his motivation while speaking to forensic psychiatrist, Dr Inti Qurashi. But Judge David Aubrey KC, said previously when asked for an explanation, Garrett had insisted it was a “moment of madness” and “senseless”.

Judge Aubrey suggested Garrett had never before “positively asserted” he carried out the shooting so as to be shot by armed police, but that “suicide by cop” was Dr Qurashi’s suggestion. David Birrell, prosecuting, added: “The motivation is the doctor’s interpretation.”

Prosecutors have now asked for their own psychiatrist to assess Garrett before a further sentencing hearing. Garrett was remanded into custody until June 6.