A STAND in warden at a Hampshire mobile home site pointed a pistol at a visitor because he was fed-up with the noise his car was making, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Drunken Peter Ogborn, 63, pointed the firearm – which he claimed he used for shooting rats and contained ball bearings – at Craig Critchlow, shouting: “Turn it off, turn it off.”

Prosecutor Mark Florida-James said Mr Critchlow had gone to the site in Holbury to pick up his girlfriend’s grandmother to attend her 21st birthday celebrations.

Walking towards his car, he saw Ogborn standing outside his home, holding the black pistol with both hands and pointing it in his direction, shouting at him to turn off his engine.

Mr Critchlow, however, drove off and the incident was not reported to the police until the following day. Ogborn told them he wanted to frighten Mr Critchlow and make him turn off his “mini racer” because it made “a real noise.”

Ogborn, of Lime Kiln Lane, Holbury, admitted possessing an imitiation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Said to be of previous good character, he was ordered to carry out 40 hours unpaid work.

Andy Houston, defending, said Ogborn was held in high esteem by other residents and had given up drinking. He had also been suffering from a severe migraine.