DRUNK DAD POINTED A BB GUN AT POLICE
Judge brands man who’d had 10 bottles of lager ‘stupid’
DRUNKEN dad Macleanes Gubwe pointed a BB gun at police officers as they patrolled the city centre.
The 45-year-old had drunk 10 bottles of Budweiser when he aimed the pistol at police as they drove along Stafford Street, Hanley. They turned around their vehicle and confronted him and he dropped the weapon and pellets to the ground.
Now Gubwe has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Stoke-on-trent Crown Court.
Prosecutor John Brotherton said police were on patrol in a marked police car at 7.27pm on August 2, 2019 when they saw Gubwe, near the junction with Quadrant Road.
Mr Brotherton said: “An officer saw a man, the defendant, staring directly at them. The officer described a menacing look on his face and he seemed to be holding a blue pistol in his hand.
“He raised it straight out in front of him and pointed it directly at the officers and they turned left into New Hall Street.
“An officer maintained eye contact with the defendant who continued to point the gun at them. The officer said to his colleague, ‘He is pointing a gun at us’. Both were aware of a recent trend where guns had been painted to make a genuine weapon resemble a toy.
“One of the officers felt sick to his stomach. Both decided to turn the vehicle around. They headed back towards Stafford Street. The defendant was now standing in a bus stop next to a building society. He had a gun in his hand and tried to pass it to another man. Police alighted the car and he dropped the pistol and bag of BB pellets on the floor.
“The defendant appeared drunk on arrest. He was staggering. He was taken to custody.”
The gun was examined by a firearms officer and found to be a BB gun with the appearance of a handgun. Gubwe told police he bought it at 7pm for £15 and was going to play with it in his garden.
He had drunk 10 bottles of Budweiser and did not remember pointing the gun at the officers.
Gubwe, of Station Street, Longport, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Paul Cliff, mitigating, said: “He bought it as a present for his son to use in the garden. Alcohol has been a significant problem for him for a number of years.
“At the time he was drinking excessively and continued to do so for a prolonged period.”
As part of the suspended sentence Gubwe must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 25 days, 140 hours’ unpaid work and a sixmonth alcohol treatment.
Judge Paul Glenn said excess alcohol was a ‘common feature’ in Gubwe’s previous convictions from 2005 to 2016
He added: “You were extremely drunk. You have actively sought professional help for your drink problem. I think you are stupid rather than evil. There has been a significant delay. You have used that time usefully and have kept out of trouble.
“I do not think an immediate prison sentence is necessary.”
The judge ordered the destruction of the BB gun and pellets. Gubwe was ordered to pay £500 costs.