AN IPSWICH father who held an imitation gun at the head of his former girlfriend's new partner and threatened him has been locked up for 12 months.

AN IPSWICH father who held an imitation gun at the head of his former girlfriend's new partner and threatened him has been locked up for 12 months.

During a visit to his ex-girlfriend Sarah Bultitude's flat in Ipswich Joshua Cook pulled a silver coloured handgun out of his clothing and held it near her new partner's head, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said that although the weapon was only an imitation it looked heavy and was made of metal. “They didn't know if it was real or not,” said Mr Sadd.

He said that a schoolgirl was in the flat at the time of the incident.

The court heard that Cook and Miss Bultitude had been in a relationship for three years and had a daughter.

Two months before the incident the court had heard about the couple had split up and Miss Bultitude had got a new boyfriend.

On the day in question Cook had arranged to visit his former partner at her flat and after walking in he had pulled out the imitation gun and held it near her new boyfriend's head.

Miss Bultitude and the schoolgir1 had bundled Cook out of the flat and the police were called.

Mr Sadd said Cook's former partner was physically shaking after the incident.

Cook, 18, of Goldsmith Road, Ipswich admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause other people to fear for their safety and was sentenced to 12 months detention in a young offenders' institution.

Roger Thomson for Cook described the incident as “very unpleasant” and said his client was “deeply sorry” for what he had done.

Mr Thomson said the gun produced by Cook was a broken BB gun which was incapable of being fired.

He said that after his release from custody Cook hoped to leave Ipswich and start a new life somewhere else.