A Hampshire man has been jailed for two years after being found by police with an air rifle.

They had been tipped off through a 999 call from a concerned member of the public who had seen Ian Seymour walking down the road with what appeared to be a shotgun.

Prosecutor Simon Edwards told Winchester Crown Court they traced him in the company of others on Forestry Commission land pointing the firearm at a thicket. The others ran off but Seymour remained.

The weapon was found to be unloaded, though he was carrying pellets.

Seymour, 33, of Elm Drive, Hythe, admitted possessing a firearm in a public place and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person – he had been jailed for 39 months for his second offence of robbery.

In mitigation, Susan Ridge said Seymour had been unaware of the seriousness of the offence.