Clint Eastwood fan seen with gun Tasered

Richard Gant had put the replica cap-firing gun back in his home before being challenged by the officers but was hit in the back with a Taser round after he refused to take his hand out of his pocket.

Prosecutor Dave Mackay told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that the officers were proceeding on the basis that drunken Gant still had the weapon which he had earlier been brandishing in Scissett Working Men's Club, near Huddersfield.

In the club Gant, 48, was seen ranting and raving about being abused in the past and threatening to kill himself.

"He kept taking the gun out of his trousers, waving it around, putting it to his head and then back in his trousers,'' said Mr Mackay.

A woman in the club persuaded him to go home, but armed officers were sent to the area after Gant told another member of the public that he might as well put the gun to his own head and pull the trigger.

The court heard that during the incident in April the police officers identified themselves to Gant and aimed their plastic bullet guns and Tasers at him when he was seen in the street.

When he refused to take his hand out of his pocket one officer discharged his Taser at Gant's back but it did not penetrate his leather jacket.

Mr Mackay said when Gant appeared to reach inside his jacket two officers shot him with baton rounds causing him to fall on his stomach.

Gant's hands were under his stomach and when he again refused to show his hands he was shot in the leg with a Taser.

Gant was detained and handcuffed and in the ambulance his behaviour became erratic.

Mr Mackay said at one stage Gant was singing country and western songs, but later threatened to get his revenge.

Gant told police: "I like Clint Eastwood and I get carried away when I watch his films. I'm sorry.

"Why don't you just put a rope around my neck? I want to die anyway.''

The replica revolver was later recovered from Gant's house along with other ornamental guns and paraphernalia.

Gant pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm in a public place and yesterday he was made the subject of a community order which includes 18 months supervision and a four-month curfew which means he must be at his home in Sunnymead, Scissett between 8pm and 6am each night.

Gant's barrister, Alasdair Campbell, described the incident as a cry for help and pointed out that any threats had been directed towards his own client.

The court heard that Gant had received a photograph of his deceased mother before the incident and Mr Campbell suggested that his client's past and the drink had combined together to cause the events.

"He now accepts in order to deal with his future he has to deal with his past,'' said Mr Campbell.

Judge Robert Bartfield said the imitation pistol was a rather frightening looking weapon and was the kind that an on-looker would think was a realistic one.

He said Gant had got himself drunk that afternoon and he accepted that the defendant was suffering considerable anguish in relation to his past.

"The people who were around you could not have known what you would have done with that gun and that's the serious aspect of it,'' Judge Bartfield told Gant.

The judge said he did not know if Gant was acting out some kind of fantasy but he said he could understand the police concern that he might do something serious.

Judge Bartfield said drink had been an important crutch in Gant's life but he had to give it up or it was going to land him in jail.