A FORMER gravedigger pointed a gun at two trick-or- treaters and threatened to shoot them when they knocked on his door at Hallowe’en, a court heard.

Darren Drodge held the air rifle at the two girls and swore at them before saying: “You are about the eighth person we have had tonight. Do you want me to shoot you? It’s loaded.”

Eleanor Fargin, prosecuting, also told Southampton Crown Court how Drodge had been cleaning his air rifle at his grandmother’s house in Shrubbs Avenue, Lymington, when he lost his temper at the front door.

She said the two 14-year-olds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, called at the address at around 9pm. After hearing a clicking noise from the gun the girls ran away and hid in a hedge across the road.

They then saw Drodge fire the weapon twice before going back inside, the court was told.

Miss Fargin said the teenagers called the police.

He told officers that he had asked the trick-or-treaters to leave before saying: “I’ve had eight of you. If not I will shoot you.” He added that as the girls ran off he fired a puff of air to clean the rifle.

Manual worker Drodge, 33, of Testwood Lane, Totton, pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm.

Charles Gabb, mitigating, said Drodge helped to look after his grandmother, who is in her nineties, by doing gardening and that he used his two air rifles that he kept at the property to shoot pests such as pigeons and rats.

Mr Gabb said it was “an isolated incident” and that was out of character because Drodge was not a violent or cruel person and that he had acted out of frustration.

He said there was no suggestion of any pellets coming out and that he had only fired air through the rifle to finish the cleaning process.

The court was told both girls continued trick-or-treating after the incident because they had run out of sweets.

Sentencing Recorder Donald Tait imposed a 12-month jail term suspended for two years, a six month supervision requirement and 150 hours unpaid work.

Drodge’s two air rifles, currently kept by police, will also be destroyed.

He said: "You have never been in trouble before. You normally lead a harmless and simple existence.

I am satisfied that you will never commit another offence again."