Jail for man who showed off fake gun to club staff

A MAN who showed an imitation handgun to bouncers refusing him entry to a nightclub — sparking an armed police response — has been jailed.

Dawid Stec, 24, laughed as he was arrested outside Dundee’s Club Tropicana last year, after showing doormen what looked like a goldcoloured handgun tucked into his waistband.

Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Stec for four months — but told him it would have been longer were he not facing deportation back to his native Poland after a conviction for serious assault.

Sheriff Brown said: “Had it not been for the European Arrest Warrant proceedings I would have been imposing a longer sentence.”

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told Dundee Sheriff Court Stec and his friends had been seen “acting strangely” outside the adjacent Liquid club, exaggerating their movements and bumping into people.

“They left to join the queue at Club Tropicana nightclub nearby but were refused entry,” she said.

“They walked the short distance back to Liquid and started acting oddly again.

“The accused walked towards the Hilton hotel across the street and lifted his top, showing what appeared to be a gold-coloured handgun, which fell to the ground.

“He started to walk away but door staff ran over and grabbed him while others contacted police. Officers arrived and saw the handgun on the ground.

“The accused found it funny and laughed throughout his arrest.

“Firearms officers then attended and declared the item safe.”

The gun was an airsoft pistol with the appearance of an American-made Colt pistol.

Stec, of Main Street, Dundee, pleaded guilty on i ndictment to having possession of an imitation firearm without lawful authority on March 4 2017 in South Ward Road, Dundee.

His solicitor Scott Norrie said: “He was out with friends drinking and this item was found by one of his friends.

“He didn’t appreciate his actions were clearly going to cause alarm.”

Sheriff Brown added: “You are wanted by the Polish justice system.

“I want to get the Scottish system out of the way as quickly as possible.”