Three men, Liam White, 22, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset; Dylan Ash, 18, from Warrington, Cheshire, and Kieron Ellison, 18, from St Helens, Merseyside, have appeared in court charged with making hoax calls to US and Canadian police, known as swatting. They are also accused of targeting internet celebrities.
They are charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice in both Canada and the US, with specific time frames mentioned. White and Ash face an additional charge concerning the US.
During the court appearance, White appeared via videolink, while Ash and Ellison stood in the dock. Pleas were not entered during this hearing, and all three were granted bail to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on May 29.
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Bail conditions were imposed, including restrictions on the use of certain social media sites for Ash and Ellison, and White was instructed not to contact the other defendants.
Detective Sergeant Steve Frame from Merseyside Police emphasized the extensive collaboration with US law enforcement, including the FBI. He stated that the charges are related to the online activities of a group planning and carrying out hoax calls to prompt emergency responses between specified dates.