Man had air pistol outside Telford Asda supermarket
A man pulled out an air pistol outside a supermarket moments after being served at the checkout, a court heard.
Matthew Minton produced the weapon from a friend's rucksack shortly after leaving an Asda superstore in the early hours, Telford Magistrates Court heard.
Staff at the supermarket in Donnington Wood, Telford, alerted police after seeing Minton pull out the gun and then put it inside his trousers.
Minton, who had been seen outside the shop with two other men, was stopped by a police officer a short time afterwards and the supermarket's CCTV footage showed he had been holding a weapon.
Minton denied one charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place following the incident in the early hours of August 29.
But the 36-year-old, of Penistone Close in Donnington, Telford, was found guilty yesterday following a trial that took place in his absence.
He was handed a £1,270 bill by the court.
Mrs Abigail Hall, prosecuting, said the three men had previously been served inside the store in St Georges Road.
She said when Minton was stopped by police he had no weapon on him, but when officers viewed CCTV footage they saw Minton with the weapon.
Officers went to Minton's home and identified the weapon as an air pistol.
The court heard that Minton told police he had been using it for target practice in his garden but he had no intention of using it in a public place.
Mr Jonathan Mason, representing Minton, said his client accidentally missed his trial because of a mix-up with dates.
He said Minton had been with others firing the air gun in his garden and afterwards they decided to go to Asda to get a drink.
Mr Mason told the court that Minton put the air gun in a rucksack and did not know his friend would pick it up.
He said that after Minton realised what had happened he took the air gun out of the rucksack because he did not want his friend to get into trouble.
Mr Mason said: "He regrets the incident but he says it was more haphazard than deliberate."
Minton was handed a £110 fine and told to pay £620 costs, £520 criminal court charge and £20 victim surcharge.
