An "intoxicated" man crouched down in the middle of the street, pointed an air rifle at a passer-by and told him: "I'll f****** shoot you".
John Michael Bostock was seen "nonchalantly" walking down a street in Trimdon with a high powered air rifle on June 1 this year. But when a passer-by told the 43-year-old to put the weapon down as he was scaring people, Bostock aimed the gun at him and made the terrifying threat. Bostock carried out the offence hours after pointing the unloaded weapon at another person.
Bostock, of Luke Street, Trimdon Station, appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for possession of an offensive weapon with intent. He had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.
Lewis Kerr, prosecuting, said Bostock was living with his partner and her son on the day of the offence, and at around 8.30am the son heard Bostock "arguing on the phone". He said: "He later heard the defendant entering the home drunk and intoxicated in some way. He was brandishing an air rifle and breaking the weapon in the garden in order to load it. The witness did not see it being loaded and he told him to put the weapon down."
The court heard that Bostock then aimed the rifle at the witness, who moved out the way. Hours later, while still carrying the air rifle, Bostock was seen walking down Trimdon's Church Road by a retired man who had just got out of his car and was with his family. Mr Kerr said: "He approached the defendant and told him to put the gun down as he was frightening people. The defendant then crouched down and pointed the weapon at the man saying: 'I'll f****** shoot you'." The gun was eventually taken from Bostock and he was arrested.
Jane Waugh, defending, said Bostock had pleaded guilty to the "unsophisticated offence which was committed in drink". She said: "There was never any suggestion of harm and there was no ammunition found with the weapon. There was no intention of causing injury and was limited in scope and duration.
"The defendant was walking around with this weapon, it was low down and not cocked, almost nonchalantly." Ms Waugh added that during his time in prison, Bostock had been "addressing his addictions".
Judge Ray Singh jailed Bostock for 20 months.
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