A DISPUTE between neighbours was the catalyst for an armed stand-off with police in Oxford city centre, a court heard.

Duncan Shearman pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court yesterday to three charges relating to the 12-hour siege in Paradise Square on May 7, which caused the area to be blocked off by police.

AS IT HAPPENED: Paradise Square siege

They were one count of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, one count of possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid or gas, and one of criminal damage.

Neighbour Nada Barshid, who made the initial call to 999, gave evidence in court that she had been hanging out washing on the May Bank Holiday Monday when she witnessed an argument between the 24-year-old and his ground floor neighbour, an Italian man named Giovanni.

 

She said: "It started with the Italian guy going down to his garden and he asked Duncan, who was on his balcony, to please stop looking down at him.

"He asked what harm it was causing and the Italian guy said unless he wanted something not to."

She continued: "[Shearman] changed right there and became really angry. I could see his face turn red."

Ms Barshid said she then saw him pick up what appeared to be a black gun from the balcony floor and lean over to aim it at his neighbour, saying: "I was scared at that time he was going to shoot the Italian man in his head."

Prosecutor Matthew Walsh said the weapon was later identified as a Gamo air pistol, which is not prohibited by law.

 

Shearman disputed he intentionally aimed the pistol at his neighbour telling the court he would 'not be that stupid' but Judge Maria Lamb said she accepted the prosecution's version of events.

READ AGAIN: Neighbours describe scene as gun shots ring out

Mr Walsh also played body cam footage from firearms officer John Lewis, which was taken at 2.38pm on May 7.

It showed the officer at the end of a pursuit of Shearman, who had climbed back up onto his balcony in Paradise Square. The officer could be heard saying ‘he’s firing his gun at us’ as loud bangs identified as the noise of ammunition being fired sounded multiple times.

 

The judge imposed an an interim hospital order for up to 12 weeks and Shearman will remain at Littlemore Mental Health Centre, where has been since July last year. He is due to be sentenced on April 12.

It was agreed two other counts of possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid or gas would not be prosecuted. He also pleaded guilty to a further firearms offence from 2017.