A TRIAL date has been set for a 26-year-old Carlisle man who denies a communications offence involving a nuisance 999 calls which triggered an armed police response.

Ben Addision, formerly of Melbourne Road, Carlisle but now living in the London Road area, is accused of “persistently using the public communications network to cause annoyance, inconvenience, or anxiety, on May 15. 

At the city’s Rickergate court, a prosecutor outlined the nature of the allegation.

He said the charge related to alleged 999 calls in which the caller reported seeing a man on London Road with a handgun and walking into the Asda store at St Nicholas Gate.

After the defendant had confirmed his personal details and formally entered his not guilty plea, magistrates granted him bail.

They set the date for the trial as July 9. Addison was represented by defence lawyer Mark Shepherd.