Plymouth gunman who died in raid at Ladbroke's bookmakers Alan Levers was due for sentencing

A GUNMAN who died after he was restrained by punters at a city bookies was due to appear in court on a public order charge.

Alan Levers, aged 50 from Honicknowle, was wearing a gas mask when he went into the Ladbrokes branch on Crownhill Road, Plymouth, shortly before 7pm on January 25.

Court documents show Levers was set to appear at Plymouth Magistrates Court yesterday in relation to a charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words towards Simon Lock on April 12 last year.

It is understood Levers had entered a store in Honicknowle sometime during the morning and, on being told he was banned for a previous incident inside the premises, he made threats of violence towards the shopkeeper.

Levers initially pleaded not guilty, but following a trial was convicted of the public order offence.

The case was adjourned from January 7 this year for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Prosecutors yesterday told magistrates that they had received information from Levers' solicitors informing them of his death.

While no death certificate had been issued, the Crown Prosecution Service invited magistrates to mark the case as "defendant deceased" and close the file.

Last week The Herald reported how Levers, who brandished an imitation pistol at staff and customers of Ladbrokes, died after he was held face down on the floor.

Police officers who arrived later handcuffed and arrested Levers while he was on the floor, but noticed he was not moving.

The officers immediately removed the gas mask he was wearing and commenced CPR. Paramedics also attended but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police praised "brave" members of the public after the incident, saying those who restrained Levers would have had no inkling that the gun was a fake.

Levers' family later apologised for the armed raider's actions in an article in The Herald.