A MAN who carried an unloaded air rifle along a Keighley street has been ordered to carry out 120 hours' unpaid work.

At one point, Lance Spencer, 44, took aim and fired the .22 calibre rifle at a box, and a passing child asked if it was loaded, Skipton magistrates heard on Monday.

Spencer, of Calton Street in Knowle Park, had taken the gun – which belonged to a friend – to have its sights cleaned, the court was told.

Police were alerted by CCTV footage taken in Victoria Road, and went to Spencer's house, where he admitted having two air rifles and having taken one of them out in public without its case.

Spencer, who admitted being in possession of the air rifle in a public place on September 14, had 28 convictions for 51 offences, including the possession of a prohibited weapon – a cattle prod – in 2010, for which he received a community order.

In mitigation, Tahir Hanif said it had not been Spencer's intention to scare anyone, and that he had fully co-operated with police.

He pointed out at one point, Spencer had been asked by a passing child whether the gun was loaded, and he replied it was not.

The court heard Spencer had returned home from work at about 5pm and had been in his cellar when he had knocked the rifle to the floor.

He had been concerned it had been damaged in some way and had taken it to a friend to check. His friend was not in, and he had been on his way home when he had been picked up on the CCTV cameras.

He had been drinking before he had left the house, but considered himself 'fresh' and not drunk, the court heard.

A father of three, he had recently started working as a labourer, and his new partner was a good influence on him, added Mr Hanif.

Spencer was handed a 12-month community order with supervision, and ordered to carry out 120 hours' unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £100 and victim's surcharge of £60. A forfeiture and destruction order was made on the rifle.