A MAN told a shopkeeper he had killed someone while holding a gun, a court was told.

Nigel Lee Hodgson, 48, was due to be sentenced on charges of making threats to kill, possession of an imitation firearm and possession of an offensive weapon when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.

But the court heard the firearm was a BB gun and Hodgson had never threatened shopkeeper Mr Saravana Mathu at the Premier Convenience Store in Whalley Old Road, Blackburn, during the incident on May 2.

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Prosecutor John Hargan told the court Hodgson, of Pringle Street in Blackburn, had entered the store and picked up some cans of lager from the shelves and asked Mr Mathu for some cigarettes from behind the counter.

The court heard as Hodgson went to reach for his wallet he pulled out the BB gun from his pocket.

Mr Hargan said: “The defendant didn’t say anything at that point. He put the gun back into his pocket and began to walk away. He didn’t point the weapon at anybody.

“The shopkeeper asked ‘why do you carry the weapon?’ To which the defendant replied ‘I killed someone’.”

The court was told the police were called and Hargan was arrested and taken to Greenbank Police Station.

During police interview Hargan told officers he used the BB gun to shoot cans in his back garden. He also said he didn’t realise it was in his pocket “as it was only a small thing” and he had been busy “rushing round doing things for his mum”.

Hargan always maintained he had never threatened the shopkeeper and the store’s CCTV would support his claim.The court was told police had seized CCTV from the shop but it did not show the incident.

The court heard Mr Mathu said Hargan had been a regular in the store for years, he had never had any trouble with him in the past and he head no difficulties with him going back inside the property.

Defence barrister Claire Thompson said: “While I appreciate the defendant was carrying a weapon, he never pointed it at Mr Mathu. He didn’t go around the shop waving it. He got it out of his pocket when he went to get his money out.

“Whilst I accept there was a weapon, this is a very unusual case.”

The prosecution offered no evidence to the weapon possession, imitation firearm and making threats to kill charges.

Hargan did plead guilty to a public order offence.

Judge Robert Altham sentenced Hargan to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, but told him the outcome would have been immediate custody if the imitation firearm charge had not been dropped.

He was also ordered to complete alcohol rehab.