Louts' victim jailed for pulling out gun

A RECLUSE who reached his wits' end and produced a replica gun after being tormented by a gang of "louts" has been jailed.

Matthew Alcock tried to stand up to the gang in Cheadle by pulling out the imitation firearm after reaching the end of his tether following a period of abuse.

The vulnerable 32-year-old felt his actions would get the group off his back, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.

But the defendant's plan backfired and he was yesterday jailed for eight months.

Prosecutor Philip Beardwell told the court that Alcock, of Victory Crescent, took the replica gun out to confront the gang at about 4.30pm on February 18 last year.

But they were not scared and were then seen to chase Alcock down the street.

The defendant was arrested at just after 6pm. Officers found two replica handguns, three air rifles, a meat cleaver and a knife inside the house. A Staffordshire Police armourer examined the air rifles and found the defendant did not have a certificate to hold one of them.

During police interview, Alcock claimed the group had been picking on him all day.

He denied having any handguns in the street and said he fled the scene after being intimidated by the group.

He added he had been left the guns by his grandfather.

The defendant pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and one charge of possessing an air rifle without holding a firearm certificate.

Written pleas, accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service, stated he inherited the guns from his grandfather, and they had only been used by his grandfather for shooting at targets in the back yard.

Alcock did not know he needed a certificate to possess the air rifle.

He added he had been subjected to bullying and verbal abuse over a period of time and produced the imitation handgun as he wanted to stand up to the complainant.

A witness saw Alcock running out the gateway of his auntie's house and the complainant gesturing with two fingers like he was waving a gun.

Joanne Wallbanks, defending, said the defendant was "rather vulnerable" and a "recluse in latter years".

She added: "He is picked on within his community and his family are.

"This was a response to a great deal of provocation. He has been subjected to bullying and abuse by the prosecution witnesses. The gun was not loaded and was not fired.

"It would appear they were not put off by the presence of that gun. They continued to follow him and chased him down the street. His attempts to stop the bullying by standing up to them failed miserably. The complainant and his associates have been goading him since."

Miss Wallbanks said Alcock has not used heroin for two-and-a-half years and no longer smokes cannabis.

She added: "He behaved in an extremely stupid way. His biggest punishment is that he can't walk the streets."

Judge Granville Styler accepted Alcock was bullied by "these louts in Cheadle" and was "at his wits' end".

But he said people who produce firearms, real or imitation, in public places have to be sent to prison. He told Alcock: "If everybody who felt abused and bullied resorted to violence in the way you did there would be anarchy in this country.

"The public are very concerned with people who produce guns. A sentence of imprisonment must follow."

Alcock will serve up to half the sentence.