by Paul Hooper and Alex Claridge

A drunken former police officer who fired a "realistic-looking" imitation gun at a group of rabbit hunters has escaped going straight to jail.

Alan Cripps heard his actions described as beyond stupid and was told he "should have known better than to take the law into his own hands".

The bespectacled 73-year-old, from Wingham and pictured left, was told that had he not pleaded guilty, he would have gone straight to jail.

Instead, he was given a six-month prison sentence - suspended for two years - and placed under house arrest for 12 hours each night for the next four months.

Cripps – a Kent Police officer for 25 years – pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He had claimed he wanted to frighten the group, whom he thought might be stealing metal.

But Judge Adele Williams blasted Cripps, telling him: "This was completely irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour. To fire any sort of gun in public in the way that you did is a very serious matter.

"In my judgement, you plainly wanted to frighten those young men. They were frightened and shocked and traumatised. They had no means of knowing that it was not a real gun with live ammunition.

"What makes your behaviour even more unacceptable is that for 25 years you were a serving Kent Police officer. You should have known better."

The property in Wingham where 73-year-old Alan Cripps lives

James Bilsland, prosecuting, said events unfolded on the evening of August 12 when Cripps was at his home in the High Street.

Some friends had gone into a field owned by one of their fathers to shoot rabbits and were leaving when they saw Cripps standing in Petts Lane.

As they slowed down upon reaching a junction, Cripps tapped the window of their car with the 10-inch barrel of his imitation gun.

Mr Bilsland said: "Clearly, these men believed this to be a real gun.

"He then told them to get out of the car. The central locking system was activated but the car stalled."

Driver Oliver Coleman accelerated out of the junction and then saw Cripps behind them pointing the weapon at the car.

This was followed by a loud bang which drowned out the sound of the engine and the car radio.

"they were frightened and shocked and traumatised. they had no means of knowing that it was not a real gun with live ammunition...” – judge adele williams

Two of the boys soon realised it was only an imitation firearm Cripps was brandishing, but Mr Coleman reported the incident to his father who rang the ex-policeman.

Mr Bilsland said Cripps accepted he had confronted the boys because he thought they might have been stealing metal.

The barrister added Cripps had first denied firing the gun, but later admitted he had.

Alex Haines, for Cripps, said his client had been a policeman with an exemplary service record and produced a number of character references.

He said Cripps, who has no previous convictions, had gone out of his house that night after hearing the revving of a car.

"But what we are not talking about someone walking about the streets scaring people," Mr Haines said.

"And he has entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity. It was stupid and this is someone who is never going to appear in this court again.

"He remembers drinking about four cans that night."

He added that Cripps suffers from health problems including back pains, high blood pressure and previously had prostate cancer.