Telford pensioner threatened schoolchildren with air rifle
A pensioner from Telford who threatened schoolchildren with an air rifle, after they annoyed him by standing outside his window, has escaped immediately being sent to jail.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Kenneth Thomas had reached the end of his tether over schoolchildren congregating by his window as they waited for buses at the end of the school day.
Mr Rob Edwards, prosecuting, told the court that 81-year-old Thomas, of Severn Hills Place, Ketley, had previously admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
He said: "At around 3.15pm on June 12 three schoolchildren, having left school, were waiting by the flats and were engaging in horseplay, outside the defendant's window.
"The defendant took exception to them and shouted at them before pointing a long barrelled-gun at them. It was not targeted at any particular child but was pointed in their direction. It caused them to fear for their safety and they ran away and called the police.
"Police attended and discovered a number of weapons at the property including a .22 air rifle which was identified as the gun used."
Mr Edwards added that Thomas, who suffers from mobility and health problems, admitted in interview that he had pointed an air rifle out of the window.
"He said the children were by his window and he shouted at them," said Mr Edwards. "He had no intention of discharging the weapon and it was not loaded. He has suffered from anti-social behaviour from children on previous occasions."
Mr Iain Bennett, for Thomas, said: "He clearly felt very aggrieved but people cannot behave in this way. He felt the police had done nothing and he has also sought to get the council involved in this but nothing has happened."
Judge Robin Onions sentenced Thomas to 16 months imprisonment suspended for two years. He also ordered forfeiture of the weapons and that Thomas should pay a statutory charge of £100.
The judge told Thomas: "You live in a flat on your own. You are a lonely man.
"You perceived that local schoolchildren were causing you a lot of nuisance for about one hour per day.
"You accept that if some schoolchildren have misbehaved, the three in this case were not those children.They were just enjoying the kind of activity that all schoolchildren enjoy.
"You used abusive language, you should be ashamed. You then made the situation much worse by pointing the air rifle at them."
