A REAL-ALE enthusiast’s afternoon out drinking at a country pub ended with him making terrifying threats to shoot a police officer, a court heard.

But unbeknown to PC Nicholas Sparks, the sawn-off shotgun he feared was being pointed at him by David Taheri was really an umbrella in a plastic bag.

Now Taheri has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for possessing an imitation firearm and making threats to kill.

Taheri, of Weavering Street, Bearsted, Maidstone, denied the charges but was convicted by a jury.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that university-educated Taheri went to Charing on July 14 last year and heard about the beer festival at The Bowl Inn at Egg Hill Road where in more than eight hours he drank about eight pints of beer.

He said he was merry but not “drunk falling over”.

Mobile phone

He headed back to the railway station but became lost and ended up at Charing Hill, where he dialled 999 and started making threats.

Taheri, 48, was angry that police had his mobile phone and had not returned it as promised. He told the operator he had a gun and grenades and was going to shoot police officers.

PC Sparks, a dog handler, found Taheri sitting on a verge and spoke to him through his car window. Taheri told him: “I have got a gun. It is a Magnum.”

Taheri put his hand into a bag and pulled out an object wrapped in a plastic carrier bag.

PC Sparks said: “He stood, holding it at waist height and pointed it at me. I believed it was a shotgun and I feared for my life, that I would be shot. I tried to negotiate to get him to place it on the floor.” Other officers arrived. A resident came out of his house and Taheri told him: “I am going to shoot a PC.” He reached into the bag again.

PC Sparks then used his incapacitating spray on Taheri and he was restrained. After some resistance, he was handcuffed.

Taheri said he believed his drink had been spiked at the pub, as he was hallucinating.

He said he remembered standing up with his umbrella in one hand and pointing it at the officer but didn’t recall making death threats.

Seven months Taheri spent on remand will count towards the sentence.

The Judge praised PC Sparks for his bravery saying he had shown “great courage” and was a credit to Kent Police.