A WEE COUNTY gun enthusiast who pulled out a pistol just as a colleague walked into the room was spared jail time last week.

Airgun owner Johnny Hall terrified a colleague as he aimed the weapon at him, while co-workers looked on laughing.

The incident occurred at family firm James Scott and Sons in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, which makes catering equipment for hospitals.

Hall, who was an employee of the firm, no longer works there, and is now director of his own construction services company, Alloa-based Scotia Site Services.

Falkirk Sheriff Court was told that on June 29 last year Hall had "for some reason" brought to work with him a black airgun, shaped like a hand pistol.

Prosecutor Sarah Lumsden said: "He was showing it off to colleagues and talking about it.

"About 1.30pm [the complainer] entered the workshop and Mr Hall picked it up and pointed it.

"[He] felt it was pointing at him and panicked, taking evasive action."

The complainer then heard what he thought was the gun being discharged, and ran out of the workshop in fright to tell his supervisor.

The fiscal depute continued: "The accused and other colleagues were laughing and joking about it."

CCTV footage from the workshop area was checked, and Hall was seen putting the gun into a black case and putting the case into a locker.

The 53-year-old, of Ashley Terrace, Alloa, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner towards his colleague by his actions.

He also admitted not having a licence for the airgun, and was sentenced to 220 hours unpaid work.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell said the community payback order was a direct alternative to prison.

He told Hall: "You are no stranger to firearms, and firearms form part of one of your hobbies. There's nothing objectionable about that, but if you are going to involve yourself in these things you need to be very careful where and how you use them.

"You should have known better than to produce this instrument in the way that you did, which caused serious fright and distress to your colleague."