Two 18-year-olds appeared in court today accused of swatting – by allegedly making hoax calls to American and Canadian police.
Dylan Ash, from Warrington, Cheshire, and Kieron Ellison, from St Helens, Merseyside, are both charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice in Canada and the USA between October 2022 and June 2023.
They appeared in person for a ten-minute hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today.
A third person, Liam White, 22, from Western-super-Mare in Somerset, appeared via video link.
Swatting involves making a hoax call to the emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.
The trio were charged after a joint investigation by Merseyside Police and US law enforcement, including the FBI.
According to police it relates to an internet-based group which allegedly ‘planned, advertised and carried out calls to emergency services and internet celebrities reporting fabricated serious, life-threatening incidents, “active shooter threats” to prompt an emergency response.’
Ash – dressed in a white shirt, tie, black trousers and trainers – and Ellison, wearing a grey T-shirt, blue tracksuit bottoms and trainers, were supported by family members.
White wore sunglasses on his head during the brief hearing.
The trio only spoke to confirm their names, addresses and ages and did not enter pleas.
Hellbound and Down 