A FORMER gun shop worker claims a man accused of firearms offences created a fictitious e-mail address to pretend he had contacted him after he left his employment.

Shaun Mullans, giving evidence against his former boss Cyrus Shahabi-Shack, said he had worked at The Lancashire Gunroom in Halliwell Road, Halliwell, for several years before leaving in spring, 2011.

Nicholas Doherty, defending Shahabi-Shack, said: “You left the shop in spring 2011. You took with you a set of keys to the shop and a fob that operated the alarm. Why?”

Mr Mullans told Bolton Crown Court yesterday: “Because I left and didn’t want anything more to do with the shop. I didn’t come back to the shop.”

Mr Doherty said Shahabi-Shack, aged 57, “had to” send an e-mail threatening to contact the police if the items were not returned.

A copy of the e-mail allegedly sent to Mr Mullans to a Live e-mail account under the name Shaun Lovell was shown to the jury.

Mr Mullans said: “Lovell is my birth name. I’m adopted — I don’t even use Lovell.

“It’s definitely not that address.”

When asked if he was suggesting Shahabi-Shack had made it up Mullen said “yes”.

Shahabi-Shack, and Louis Larsson, aged 28, of Fossgill Avenue, Bradshaw, both deny three counts of conspiracy to possess firearms. In addition Shahabi-Shack denies possessing an illegal firearm.

The case continues.