Fake gun OAP gets jailed for pub threats
A PENSIONER who flashed a fake gun at a bouncer was told he was ‘old enough to know better’ as he was jailed.
Ian Thompson, 65, caused terror at The George in Stockport with a novelty gas cigarette lighter. He had been asked to leave the Wellington Road North pub around closing, after getting into a drunken argument with another punter.
But he refused to drink up and go, instead telling the doorman that he was a kickboxer and threatening to fight him. On his way out Thompson said to him: “It’s a good job you didn’t throw me out.” He then reached into his pocket, partially pulled out a silver handgun and added: “Because you would have got this in your head.”
APENSIONER who flashed a fake gun at a bouncer was told he was ‘old enough to know better’ as he was jailed.
Ian Thompson, 65, caused terror at The George in Stockport with a novelty gas-fired cigarette lighter. He had been asked to leave the Wellington Road North venue around closing, after getting in a drunken argument with another punter.
But he refused to drink up and go, instead telling the doorman that he was a kickboxer and threatening to fight him. The doorman left him to it and Thompson eventually left of his own accord.
On his way out Thompson apologised to the doorman. But he then said to him: “You’ve got a lot of balls”, before adding: “It’s a good job you didn’t throw me out.”
He then reached into his pocket, partially pulled out a silver handgun and added: “Because you would have got this in your head.” The doorman was terrified and feared he was going to die. Thompson then showed the weapon to a female regular who also believed it was a real gun.
Thompson admitted possessing an imitation firearm in a public place, but denied possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence at a Minshull Street Crown Court trial.
He was found guilty and has now been jailed for nine months. He will also be banned from The George pub for nine months on his release from custody.
His sentencing hearing was told that when police went to his home at Wheatcroft, in Davenport, Thompson told them: “It’s not a firearm, it’s a gas lighter.”
Analysed, the gun did turn out to be a lighter.
Prosecutor David Temkin said: “It was an extremely realistic looking imitation. It bore a close resemblance to a firearm.”
Following his arrest, Thompson told police that he found it in a skip three years ago, and had put on his jacket that night without realising it was in his pocket.
The court heard Mr Thompson had been depressed following family bereavements and that his family were desperate for him not to be jailed.
However his criminal record included an incident in 2001 where he had pointed an airgun at a 16-year-old boy.
Sending him down, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb told him: “I do not accept it was accidentally in your pocket. I’m quite sure you decided to carry it that night and produce it if circumstances warranted, to frighten people or show off, and that you deliberately drew the doorman’s attention to it to scare him.
“You are old enough to know better. You kept that item because it looked like a real gun and you liked having it.”