Cleethorpes man sentenced for lying about being threatened with a gun
The incident happened in a vape shop in July 2024
A man from Cleethorpes who falsely claimed to have been threatened with a gun during an incident at a vape shop has been sentenced to 13 months in prison for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
It happened on the 12th July 2024.
35-year-old Jacob Rispin of Harrington Street in Cleethorpes pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice when he appeared at Grimsby Crown Court on Friday, 28th February.
A member of the public contacted police saying Rispin had claimed he went to a nearby vape shop where he was allegedly confronted by two shop members over attempting to steal cigarettes. Rispin stated that as he tried to leave the store, one man grabbed his hoodie and pulled him back inside, while another allegedly held up a sawn-off shotgun to his face and threatened to shoot him.
Officers then began to investigate the circumstances of the incident.
As the investigation continued, armed police attended the shop and detained two shop workers. Both men were arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. The premises were secured, and a comprehensive search was carried out, but no gun was discovered. Despite Rispin’s claims, further investigation revealed contradictions in his story.
Rispin was interviewed and admitted lying to Police, and the two shop workers who were initially arrested as a result of Rispin’s claims were subsequently released from custody without charge.
He admitted that no gun had been involved and explained that while he had a verbal altercation with a shop worker a few weeks earlier, it was not significant and had no connection to the false story he created. Rispin stated that the situation had "snowballed" out of control.
Rispin was interviewed on Sunday 14 July after confessing to lying and was remanded into custody.
Detective Sergeant Ian Potter from our CID team said: “I hope the sentence serves as a reminder that making false claims has serious consequences. Not only does it mislead investigators, but it also creates unnecessary strain on our resources, which could be spent on tackling genuine threats to public safety.
“By fabricating stories like Rispins's, individuals undermine the hard work of our officers and hinder our ability to protect the public. We will continue to pursue those who mislead the police and hold them accountable for their actions.
“While false claims are disappointing, we would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of, or has witnessed crimes in any form, to please contact us as soon as possible via our non-emergency number 101. Always call 999 in an emergency or if a crime is ongoing.”
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