Man caused pistol terror (From Free Press Series)

Man caused pistol terror

1:34pm Thursday 29th June 2006 in Pontypool news

A MAN believed he was about to die when an unemployed painter and decorator pointed a replica automatic pistol in his face, a court was told yesterday.

Victim Andrew Lear fled into his home but seconds later, Glyn Parfitt, 46, pointed the weapon through the letterbox, causing him to cower and hide in terror.

Parfitt, of Oaksford, Coed Eva, Cwmbran, was jailed for two and a half years at Cardiff crown court after pleading guilty to possessing an imitation Walther P38 weapon with intent to cause fear of violence.

Judge Stephen Hopkin said: "The public is rightly concerned by the increasing frequency in the use of firearms or imitation firearms in the course of crime."

Mr Lear, he said, had a gun put into his face and believed his head was going to be blown off.

Prosecutor Meirion Davies said that at about 11pm on March 22, Parfitt went to the home of his sister at Ty Tudor, Cwmbran, where she lived with Mr Lear.

There had been problems with Parfitt, who had been abusive to them. They heard Lear shouting outside: "Come down, I'll fight you like a man." All went quiet, said Mr Davies, and Mr Lear decided to go downstairs.

As he went through the front door, he was aware of Parfitt eight feet away, pointing a pistol at his face, and shouting: "I'm going to blow your head off."

Mr Davies said: "Mr Lear believed he was going to be killed."

He fled into the house and saw Parfitt put the weapon through the letterbox.

Arrested six hours later, Parfitt claimed he had a good relationship with the couple.

His defence counsel, David Webster, said: "On the night he drank after taking medication and had been brooding about his past."