A MAN was left shaking with fear after an air pistol was waved around in public, a court was told.

It was claimed at Preston Crown Court that Thomas Doonan told him: "I'm going to shoot you."

The man was so frightened by the incident that he could hardly ring for police help. Doonan, 47, of Heaton Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to a charge of affray.

Mr John Bailey, prosecuting, said a Blackburn council cleaner had been working on a Sunday in March last year.

Afterwards he and his wife walked around a car boot sale.

He was then approached by the defendant and another man.

The cleaner explained to them that he had nothing to do with the car boot sale.

Doonan produced a gun and started to wave it around in a frightening fashion.

At one time he said: "I'm going to shoot you," said Mr Bailey.

The man did not realise that the air pistol was incapable of being fired. He was 20 feet away and was terrified he would be shot so he went to get the police.

But he was shaking so much that he could hardly dial the number, said the prosecution.

Doonan told police he had gone to the car boot sale and had effectively been given the air pistol.

Both he and the other man had been putting on something of a "cops and robbers" performance.

Mr Richard Haworth, defending, said the facts of the of the case were peculiar.

The defendant had been completely frank and open with the police but denied saying he was going to shoot the man.

Recorder Harry Narayan adjourned the case for a trial of issue to determine the circumstances of the offence, particularly whether Doonan had said he was going to shoot. The defendant was remanded on bail to the week of March 13.

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