A DRUNK man who threatened a young couple by pointing a fake semi-automatic firearm at them during “banter with his friend” has avoid prison.

Jason McCrae, 49, previously of May Place, committed the offence on a narrow bridge on the ring road in Basingstoke on September 14, last year.

Although he pleaded guilty to the simple possession of the imitation firearm in October, he had said he had no intention of causing any alarm or distress.

But he was found guilty of the charge following a jury trial that concluded on March 20.

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The court found that he brandished the fake gun at the young couple after a heavy drinking session with his friend in Basingstoke.

His friend told the jury that he was an alcoholic and McCrae was drinking with him that day, trying to keep up with him.

At his friend's house, McCrae started playing with a large imitation firearm - a large black item looking like a semi-automatic weapon.

McCrae's friend took a number of photographs of him with the gun. However, McCrae disappeared from the house with the gun when Mr Stone was upstairs on his phone.

McCrae encountered a young couple who were walking towards him as he stood in the middle of a bridge on the ring road. The couple realised that he was drunk because he was mumbling, but they were truly worried when he pointed the gun at them.

Sentencing him, Judge Jane Miller said: “You started shouting aggressively at them, which very much concerned the couple. They walked back to the way they had come and they were very worried that you would go after them. So they called the police immediately.

“Police said you were truly drunk when arrested and you also tested positive for heroin.

“And the incident has had a long-lasting effect upon the victims.”

Prosecution counsel David Flemming said McCrae had 11 previous convictions from 19 offences, but none of them were in nearly 20 years, and they were all for antisocial behaviour and dishonesty.

His last conviction was in 2005 for shoplifting and possession of cannabis.

Defence counsel Sarah Brown said, in mitigation, that the offence was 'out of character' and he is attending rehabilitation sessions for his alcohol use and mental health concerns.

She also added that it was a “banter with his friend” that led to the offence.

She added that he was in a relationship breakdown and had been drinking heavily.

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McCrae was staying in a homeless hostel then, but he is back living with his mother now.

He was sentenced to nine months in prison, which is suspended for two years. He has to go for alcohol addiction treatment for 12 months and attend 15 rehabilitation activity days.

The court also ordered the destruction of the imitation firearm.