Showcase Cinema shooter was fired from theatre 'following complaints about behaviour', court hears

A gunman who threatened staff at a local cinema was fired by the venue three months before he went on a shooting spree, a court has heard.

Leslie Garrett, of Ternhall Road in Fazakerley, raided a Liverpool newsagents in his flip flops and fired an AK47 inside the shop on 3 January 2024.

After pausing for a drink at a nearby pub, he headed to the Showcase Cinema in Croxteth where he had previously worked as a security guard.

Garrett pleaded guilty to eight offences, including including possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, attempted robbery and possession of ammunition without a certificate on 2 February.

A trial of issue has now begun to determine the facts of the case so the judge can pass sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.

The court heard how Garrett had previously been employed as security a the Showcase Cinema but "lost his job following complaints about his behaviour towards other members of staff".

On the night of the shooting, he entered shortly after 8.45pm with his hood up.

He approached cashier Danielle Mea and guard Philip Smith at the ticket desk, and pointed his AK47 at the two members of staff.Both workers "believed it was a joke", with Mr Smith even telling him: "Drop the peashooter and don’t point it at her."But Garrett responded "come see" and gestured for him to follow him into the car park. Cameras then captured the moment that he repeatedly fired the gun outside the cinema.Upon realising that the gun was live, Mr Smith shouted to Ms Mea: "Get down. Get out."Customers were "contained for their safety whilst police secured the area", with 12 shell casings being recovered from the scene.

Garrett meanwhile left to the rear of the cinema and "fired multiple shots into the air" before driving away "at speed, erratically and through a red traffic light".

David Birrell, prosecuting, also described how just over an hour earlier, at around 7:30pm, Garrett entered Sangha's off-licence on Lower House Lane wearing a long green coat and a pair of flip flops on his feet.

Amandeep Singh was behind the counter when Garrett entered shouting: "Come on. Money".The employee initially "thought it was a joke and smiled", but Garrett "produced and raised" an AK47 which he fired in his direction.

Mr Singh fled into the stock room as the gunman left and drove to the Western Approaches pub in his Ford Focus, where he "ordered a drink and chatted to other customers at the bar".He was then seen leaving the premises on CCTV,with two other men following to him to his car. There, he "appeared to show them the firearm" causing them to "back off".

After firing shots at the Showcase Cinema, he went to a Go Local store where he "bought two mini bottles of vodka on credit", before remaining in the area of his mum's house on Ternhall Road for roughly an hour.

At around 10pm, he moved on to his partner Jennifer Forshaw's address on Malpas Road where he again began firing gunshots.Four shell casings were subsequently discovered in the front garden and street outside Ms Forshaw's home.

She later told officers that Garrett had fired the gun, which he kept on her property, into the air before leaving for his mother's address after the couple had earlier "drank alcohol and argued".Shortly after 4.30am, a team of 16 firearms officers, two negotiators and a police dog handler attended Ternhall Road in "ballistically protected" Land Rovers.

Garrett's 67-year-old mum Olive Brown opened the door and was escorted from the premises at gunpoint.The defendant then presented at the entrance wearing a t-shirt and boxer shirts in an "agitated and aggressive" state. When officers pointed their guns towards him, he replied: "F*** off d***head."Garrett was tasered and fell to the floor, at which point he was handcuffed and arrested. He gave no comment to detectives under interview.Merseyside Police subsequently recovered a Czech-manufactured "AK47-style rifle" dating back to 1964 from the Malpas Road address on January 5.

The CZ-model VZ58 gun, which "bore military markings", was described as being "in fair condition given its age" and was successfully tested fired, although only one of the 323 cartridges recovered alongside it was compatible with the weapon.The trial of issue is scheduled to continue tomorrow, Friday. Judge David Aubrey KC will then pass sentence.

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