A DRUNK who armed himself with a shotgun and then made a 999 call threatening to fire it at anyone who damaged his car has escaped going to jail.

Paul Chapman, 45, was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for a year, after Judge Michael Neligan, sitting at Maidstone Crown Court, decided there were exceptional circumstances.

The court heard that Chapman made the emergency call to the police, during which he ranted about damage done to his car, the breakdown of his marriage and being unable to see his child. It was said in court that he had drunk “a huge amount of whisky”.

Catherine Donnelly, prosecuting, said the call was made from the home Chapman shares with his mother in Welcome Avenue, Dartford, on July 18 last year.

“He said his car was being slashed and he was going to use his 10-gauge shotgun to shoot anybody that came back and did damage to his car,” she told the court.

When the police arrived they found Chapman holding the double-barrelled shotgun. He handed it over and they saw it was loaded, cocked and ready to fire.

Chapman then took the officers upstairs where they found another five shotguns in a cabinet, and ammunition. The court heard that Chapman had certificates for all the guns.

A further search was carried out the next day and items found included five containers of gunpowder, Samurai swords and a grenade.

At the time of his arrest Chapman, made no comment and he did not answer any questions at his interview.

Fiona Moore-Graham, defending, said it was an extremely unusual case that arose out of frustration. She said Chapman’s 999 call was “extremely lengthy” and full of rants about his life.

She said he had made complaints to the police in the past about his car being damaged by a group of boys but on this occasion he had “drunk a huge amount of whisky”.

“Guns and drink are a bad combination,” added Miss Moore-Graham, “but on this occasion guns and drink lead to a telephone conversation with the police.

“They arrived in no great hurry, about an hour and a half later. The defendant was in his home and it has never been suggested that he had the gun outside his home in a public place.”

The court heard that Chapman had held a shotgun licence “for years” and had handed in other weapons during a gun amnesty in 2002.

Arguing that any prison sentence should be suspended Miss Moore-Graham said: “The only threat to endanger life was made during a telephone call.”

Chapman, who works for a carpet cleaning firm, admitted possessing a shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence. He had denied a more serious charge of possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life and this was accepted by the prosecution. No evidence was offered and a verdict of not guilty entered.

A letter from Chapman’s mother, who suffers from ill health, was handed in to the judge.

Passing the suspended jail term the judge said: “You have, for many years, been a law-abiding and hard-working member of society. You were lawfully in possession of the weapon and ammunition. You called the police and on their arrival you handed over the weapon and ammunition while in your house.

“It is an offence that merits imprisonment but because of exceptional circumstances - your mother’s ill health and your obligations to that - your sentence will be suspended.”

A forfeiture order was made regarding all the weapons and ammunition found in Chapman’s home. His gun licence and certificates were also revoked.