Nicholas Culpan (left) and Antoine Anicotte

by Paul Hooper

A Dover teenager sat with his head in his hands in court today as a judge heard how he shot his best friend while fooling around with a loaded weapon.

French-born Antoine Anicotte, 19, had been given a replica 1858 Remington revolver, which was used during the American Civil War.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how it had been given to him as a present from his mother Catherine who had bought it legally in France.

But during a get-together at the teenager’s flat in Salisbury Road in January last year, the illegally-owned weapon was fired – and a bullet struck his pal Nicholas Culpan in the side.

Mr Culpan, who was 18 at the time and is pictured left, staggered into the street until he collapsed in a pool of blood and was rushed to the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford.

Doctors discovered the bullet had “nicked” his liver and he needed a life-saving operation before being transferred to London’s King College Hospital.

As his friend feared he was going to die, Anicotte lied to police - sparking off a full-scale operation involving firearm officers and a helicopter.

The teenager claimed his pal had been gunned down in the street by a mystery man in a white hoodie – and named a man who was later arrested and spent the night in police cells before being released.

A replica 1858 Remington revolver - like the one used by Antoine Anicotte

Today Anicotte – who has spent the past year-and-a-half in a mental hospital after suffering a breakdown – was sent to a young offenders' institution for four years after admitting charges of unlawful wounding, possessing a firearm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Judge Simon James told him: “That wasn’t simply a reckless act it was monumentally and criminally a stupid one, which could have and almost did have fatal consequences.”

His mother had sat in the public gallery as Anicotte broke down and wept bitterly as he was led away to start his sentence.

The court heard Mr Culpan has been left physically and mentally scarred by the incident.

Emily Cook, defending, said Anicotte had suffered from nightmares since the accident. "When he goes to sleep he keeps hearing the sound of the gun going off,” she said.

Yesterday, Nicholas Culpan, 20, of Edghill Close, Folkestone was given a 16-week jail sentence - suspended for 12 months - and ordered to do 150 hours' of unpaid work in an unrelated assault and causing criminal damage case.