A teenager who ordered three boys to get on their knees while brandishing an air rifle has been locked up for eight months.

When the terrified youngsters wept Chidi Eneh told them he was showing them “how to be a man”.

The 19-year-old, formerly of Seagull Road, Strood, admitting possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the victims, aged 11 and 10, were riding their bicycles in Knight Road, Strood, on August 21 this year when Eneh approached them holding the gun.

“You told these three lads to get to their knees and put their hands in the air,” Judge Philip Statman told him.

“All three were utterly petrified by your actions. They started to cry.

“The air rifle was not loaded but they were not to know that. The incident lasted about five minutes. All three feared you were going to shoot them.

“Thereafter, you told them to stop crying, that you were in a situation where you were only mucking about and showing them how to be a man.

"Manliness doesn’t come into it. Bullying and cowardness does.”

One of the boys ran off to tell his father, who was a Special Constable. He acted promptly and Eneh, now living in Manchester, was arrested.

Danny Moore, defending, said the teenager had two cautions, one for having a similar weapon.

Mr Moore said at an earlier hearing that incident was “really borderline prank”, but remained a serious matter.

He submitted that an immediate youth custody sentence was not necessary and supervision, unpaid work and a curfew could be imposed.

“The air rifle was not loaded but they were not to know that. The incident lasted about five minutes. All three feared you were going to shoot them" - Judge Philip Statman

Eneh, originally from Zimbabwe, had immediately expressed remorse and wanted to write to each of the victims to apologise.

“The public may think this is the sort of case where imprisonment could be suspended,” said Mr Moore.

But the judge said: “Can it get much worse? Three young lads in the street having their hands in the air. They don’t know what is up the barrel.”

The impact on the boys had been profound, he said. One still suffered nightmares and had lost concentration at school.

“Children should know they can ride their bikes safely without being intimidated by older boys such as yourself carrying an air rifle,” added Judge Statman.