Father's gun threat to new neighbours

A father-of-one who cut the lights to a block of flats in the Black Country before threatening a young couple with a fake gun - because they were being too noisy while moving in - has avoided a jail sentence.

Forklift driver Dru Newman, aged 45, pointed the imitation gun at his new neighbour Joshua Spooner outside the flat in Avenue Road, Rowley Regis.

Sentencing Newman to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Nicholas Webb told him: "You behaved in a wholly unreasonable and frightening manner."

Newman pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Miss Kanwal Juss, prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court, said Newman had been drinking and taking cocaine when he lost his temper on March 7.

She said: "The lights went off and the couple went outside into the corridor where they saw Mr Newman standing in the doorway to his flat."

Newman, who has a daughter, admitted he had cut the power off before telling the couple: 'If you carry on making this noise I'll come down on you like a ton of bricks', the court was told.

He then pulled the imitation gun from behind his back and pointed it at the couple. Police were called and searched the flat where they found the weapon hidden inside a sofa cushion.

The couple told officers they felt "shocked, threatened and intimated" by the incident.

Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, said Newman had been working a six-day week at the time and was trying to catch up on some sleep.

He said Newman, who was made redundant from Rover about three years ago, was £35,000 in debt and was also suffering after the breakdown of a 17-year relationship.

Newman, now of Graham Road, Halesowen, was given a four-month curfew and ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work.

He was also told to pay £535 court costs and put under supervision for 12 months by the crown court.