[1] Ismail had earlier expressed a desire to end his life but thought that suicide was not an option due to his religious beliefs.

Ismail barricaded himself into the pub's toilet and was arrested there by two unarmed police constables, Gilbert Robertson and Denis Hastings.

Unemployed Somali labourer Mohamed Ismail had expressed to a group of women his desire to end his life but that he could not commit suicide due to his religious beliefs.

[4] Owing to the holiday, the pub had been granted an extended licence to remain open past 10.30 p.m., and many revellers were in the smoking room singing Christmas carols around a piano.

[6][7] Within minutes of the shooting, Sheffield City Police constables Gilbert Robertson and Denis Hastings arrived on the scene.

Whilst on remand, a prison medic reported that Ismail claimed to hear voices speaking to him through electricity cables and would smash light bulbs in an attempt to prevent this.