Man's 'incredible' excuse after DNA found on murder weapon linked to fatal shooting

John Charlton told a justice an unthinkable excuse for wherefore his DNA was recovered connected a execution limb linked to a fatal shooting carried retired successful 2020, suggesting the limb helium handled was an 'airsoft toy'

A antheral had an "incredible" excuse aft his DNA was recovered connected a murder weapon.

John Charlton was forensically linked to a Glock pistol that had been utilized successful a fatal shooting and was besides fired astatine a location connected different occasion. Following the find of the execution weapon, Charlton claimed it was really a artifact weapon that helium had happened upon by accidental portion delivering firewood to a house.

He gave the justice overseeing his proceedings a bizarre reply, telling him "I'm atrocious astir that" arsenic helium was locked up yesterday. Liverpool Crown Court heard the firearm was seized alongside 2 revolvers, bullets, cannabis and currency aft a constabulary raid connected the location of Gordon Rhodes connected Abbeystead Avenue successful Netherton.

The raid connected the 57-year-old's location successful February past twelvemonth led to an imprisonment of 9 years and 9 months successful August 2023 for his relation successful storing the guns. Martyn Walsh, prosecuting, told the tribunal however the pistol successful question was utilized successful a execution successful 2020 and past a aboriginal location shooting incidental successful 2022.

Charlton's DNA was recovered "all over" the Glock pistol, including connected interior parts. The 42-year-old, of Marlborough Avenue successful Netherton, gave grounds to the tribunal during a proceedings of contented connected Friday, saying helium held a "casual" occupation with Fazakerley-based Advance Skip Hire erstwhile helium handled the item.

He further claimed helium would salvage quantities of wood which had been deposited successful the Advance Skip Hire bins earlier selling them connected arsenic firewood for £5 a bag, LiverpoolEcho reported. Charlton - who has erstwhile convictions for robbery, burglary, battle occasioning existent bodily harm and cultivating cannabis - said that helium would besides proviso Rhodes with wood for the log burner successful his room for escaped aft gathering him successful a parkland portion walking his dog.

He told the court: "It was conscionable thing I did. I took it successful my ain hands to do. I conscionable seen it arsenic a waste. He [Rhodes] seen maine passing idiosyncratic other firewood. He goes to Aldi to bargain woody blocks for the fire. Knowing helium was disabled, I thought I could assistance him out.

"I knocked with 2 bags of firewood. He was eating successful his surviving room. He told maine to spell done to the kitchen. I enactment the bags of firewood down by his wood burning stove helium has determination successful the kitchen. I seen an Airsoft pistol weapon container connected the worktop. I opened the container and took the pistol out.

"It's conscionable what you bash arsenic a kid. It's what I've ever done. It's conscionable a unit of habit. I was looking wherever to enactment the BBs to person a small spell of it. I was conscionable going to occurrence it astatine the floor. It's precise minor. Kids occurrence them astatine each other. It's not arsenic almighty arsenic a overgarment gun, similar a spud weapon benignant of power."

Rhodes past told Charlton to "put that down" and was past told it was "a existent one". Charlton added: "I threw it towards the worktop. The clip fell out. The weapon fell to the floor. I threw the pieces onto the side. I didn't realise it was a existent gun. I spun it circular connected my digit and everything, playing with it. I had my hands each implicit it. I was trying to propulsion it, propulsion it and everything. I had my fingers each implicit the inside, pulling it. I handled it each way."

Frank Dillon, defending, said: "There is thing to suggest that this is habitual behaviour. He is knowing of the court's obligations successful this case." Judge David Potter rejected his relationship arsenic "implausible and incredible". In sentencing, helium added: "You person pleaded blameworthy to precise superior offences. When the premises of Mr Rhodes were searched by the police, they recovered a fig of viable firearms and ammunition.

"One successful particular, a Glock, was intelligibly being stored by organised criminals. It had already been utilized doubly successful superior criminality. No uncertainty its continued possession was for aboriginal usage successful transgression activity. Your DNA was recovered each implicit it. I cannot accidental when, however agelong oregon successful which circumstances you possessed the firearm and ammunition, but I americium definite that it was much than transitory and that you knew what it was."

As helium was led to the cells, Charlton replied: "Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm atrocious astir that. Thank you Mr Dillon."