A MAN accused of threatening staff and customers in a pub with a sawn-off shotgun yesterday told a court that witnesses were mistaken as he had not been there that day.

Teesside Crown Court heard that 6ft 8in Shaun Conroy, also known as Shaun Porritt, had not been in the Netherfields public house, Middlesbrough, on Thursday, March 8, when the incident happened.

Mr Conroy, 32, was arrested a few minutes later as he stepped out of his girlfriend's house in Fullbeck Road, less than 50 yards from the pub.

Despite four witnesses identifying Mr Conroy as the gunman, he insisted he had not been to the Netherfields pub that day.

"I don't know what the witnesses saw, but they definitely didn't see me," he said.

Philip Lancaster, prosecuting, told Mr Conroy: "You are of quite distinctive appearance. There are very few people who could be mistaken for you."

Mr Conroy replied by saying his younger brother, Jason, 31, is the same height and build as him and they are often mistaken for each other.

Mr Conroy denies making threats to kill landlady Jane Crosby and her husband, Kevin, affray, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and assaulting Mrs Crosby causing actual bodily harm.

The case continues.