A man has been jailed after using an imitation firearm to cause fear of violence against people in a takeaway in Bristol.
Sam Norfolk pleaded guilty to three offences in relation to an incident on Sunday 7 May at a business on the Clifton Triangle.
He was a customer who at approximately 8.20pm ordered food and subsequently became verbally aggressive to the business owner.
Two other customers, who did not know the 31-year-old, intervened and asked Norfolk to stop swearing, at which the point he punched one of them to the face and chased after them, grabbing the second by their legs. Fortunately neither sustained any significant physical injury.
After the pair had run away, Norfolk turned back to the business owner and lifted his T-shirt to show the handle of what appeared to be a firearm, before launching a chair at him. Police were called, at which point Norfolk ran away.
He was later identified by police and arrested. During a search of his property, two imitation firearms were found and seized.
Norfolk, of Florence Park, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an imitation firearm with cause of fear of violence and two charges of assault by beating. He received an 18-month sentence at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday 12 October.
Officer in the case PC Anna Firman said: “Fortunately nobody sustained any significant physical injuries in this incident, but it would undoubtedly have been an extremely distressing one for those victims who were attacked.
“We welcome the fact he has received a custodial sentence.”