A dad brandished what appeared to be a “firearm” at a petrified food delivery driver.
Anthony Cooper, 50, menacingly asked his victim “what now, what now” after challenging him for parking outside his property in Merseyside.
Cooper admitted to pursuing Mohammed Gani in his vehicle, then rolled down his window and aimed a “silver and black type pistol firearm” at him, which was later identified as a BB gun.
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The incident unfolded before Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, October 14, with the court hearing how Mr Gani was on a food delivery run on Victoria Road, Tranmere, at about 6.30pm on August 9. Prosecutor Paul Blasbery recounted that Mr Gani had stopped his car outside a residence when Cooper emerged from his house, yelling at him to shift his position.
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Cooper was seen getting into his own car, which was parked in the driveway, and reversing until it was halfway across the pavement, the court was informed. Blasbery explained that there wasn’t sufficient space for Mr Gani to drive onto the road, prompting Cooper to hurl more abuse at the delivery driver, who explained he was just dropping off an order and would soon clear the spot.
According to the court’s account, Cooper bellowed at the driver, threatening “just get out of here or I will knock you out”. Blasbery noted that Cooper also made comments about Mr Gani’s apron, sparking “causing him anxiety” in the driver who feared Cooper might discern his place of employment.
The court learned that Cooper’s hostile behaviour persisted until a worried neighbour intervened, attempting to defuse the fraught situation, reports the Liverpool Echo.
However, the defendant told Mr Gani “wait there, I will show you now, I will show you now” before heading back into his house. Concerned about a potential weapon, Mr Gani hopped back into his car and reversed all the way down Victoria Road.
But the drama didn’t end there the defendant jumped into his own motor and gave chase, pulling up alongside Mr Gani at the Derby Road junction.
According to Mr Blasbery, the defendant wound down his window and then “pointed a silver and black type pistol firearm” at him, taunting “what now, what now”. Cooper reportedly held the firearm close to his chest initially, but then stretched out his arm, pointing it directly at Mr Gani until it was “half inside the driver’s window”.
Scared witless, Mr Gani floored it, speeding off before calling the cops in a panic. The police caught up with Cooper in Anfield later on, where they stopped him with guns drawn.
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A search of his gaff turned up a BB pellet gun, which turned out to be the same one he’d used to scare the living daylights out of Mr Gani.
When the coppers showed him the gun, he said it was just a BB gun for shooting birds that were hassling the pups he bred to flog.
He flatly denied having the item when he pulled up alongside Mr Gani, insisting he hadn’t touched it for ages. But, Mr Blasbery revealed in court that once shown snapshots of their interaction, he owned up to having it on him.
It also emerged that Cooper was barred from driving at the time.Mr Gani expressed, “All I want to do is make a living but now I live in fear.”Cooper was handed an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years.