A MAN who threatened to shoot his sister's friends has been found guilty of possessing a gun.Nick Brett, 27, was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

A MAN who threatened to shoot his sister's friends has been found guilty of possessing a gun.

Nick Brett, 27, was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The jury of five women and seven men reached its majority verdict of ten to two after deliberating for just under three hours.

During the trial the court heard that Brett called at his sister Suzanne Brett's mobile home off Bramford Road and initially sat in his car talking to her.

At one stage he allegedly lifted up his T-shirt and Miss Brett saw what appeared to be a gun in the waistband of his trousers, said Hugh Vass, prosecuting.

Inside the mobile home Brett had allegedly placed the pistol on a shelf in the kitchen and told his sister "if any of your friends turn up I'll shoot them on the doorstep".

When Miss Brett asked her brother to put the gun away, he allegedly told her "the gun stays until I go".

Brett put the gun back in his waistband when he left the mobile home and Miss Brett contacted the police.

Brett of Tilbury was stopped by firearms officers in Essex and he showed them where the pistol was in his car.

Mr Vass said the gun looked and felt like a real pistol and had magazine containing blank shells.

Following the verdict Mr Vass told the court that Brett had previous convictions for blackmail and false imprisonment, assault causing actual bodily harm, common assault, dishonesty and theft.

Judge John Devaux ordered a pre-sentence report and released Brett on conditional bail until February 15 when he is to be sentenced.

Judge Devaux said: "The court retains all its sentencing options."