A STORE in Buckley was cleared by police when a man claimed he had a gun on a planned shoplifting spree.

Joanne Catherall rang Home Bargains to raise the alarm after she was confronted by Paul Lee Price out walking his dog in Precinct Way in Buckley.

He told her he was carrying a gun in his pocket and invited her to join him on a shoplifting expedition at the nearby store.

Prosecutor John Wylde told Flintshire Magistrates Court that Price “patted” his pocket and told Ms Catherall: “Don’t you ignore me, I’ve got a gun.”

Price had initially engaged the pedestrian by asking her if she liked his dog.

“She didn’t want to volunteer in conversation and when he said that they were going to Home Bargains in Buckley to shoplift she carried on walking,” said Mr Wylde.

But Ms Catherall also rang the store to warn them about Price’s arrival, triggering a largescale police operation.

Mr Wylde said: “There was a considerable evacuation process and armed units attended in the belief that he [Price] had a gun.”

Price was searched in the store and while no weapon was found he made abusive comments and was arrested.

He had been drinking at the time and was unable to “remember a lot about it”.

Price, 31, of Bryn Awelon, Buckley, admitted threatening behaviour on June 13.

He said he was going to the store to buy beer and a phone charger and denied making the “gun” comment when he was first interviewed by police.

His solicitor, Becky Hay, said: “He knows the lady and they have had no problems in the past, but he accepts that she has no reason to lie.

“He can’t really recall the incident and he wouldn’t be able to challenge it if proceeded to trial.”

The court heard Price had a history of mental health problems and had spent time in hospital recently after being sectioned.

“At the time his mental health was deteriorating and his mother had gone to the community mental health team to get help for him,” said Ms Hay.

“He has a great deal of remorse and he can’t understand why he would have said such a foolish comment. It was a stupid comment, said flippantly.”

After hearing a probation report, chairman of the magistrates Geoff Bull sentenced Price to a 12-month community order with a requirement he undertakes 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

He told him: “It could have been a ridiculous comment, but the consequences were the effect it had on this young lady and the people in the store.”