A MAN who threatened to kill a motorist while brandishing an air rifle has been sectioned.

Daniel McCowie, 28, will remain at Littlemore Mental Health Centre indefinitely after he was sentenced on Thursday at Oxford Crown Court.

The court heard that on May 5 McCowie, of Meadow Road in Chinnor, walked in front of a car in Thame Park Road, Thame.

When the driver stopped and sounded the horn at him, McCowie, who had no shirt on, approached the car and said "I will have you, come on."

Witnesses reported McCowie then moved towards the car's open window and told the driver to get out, before producing an air rifle from a box he was carrying.

Gary Venturi, prosecuting, said the rifle looked like a real assault weapon and had a telescopic-style sight.

He added: "It terrified the victim very much.

"He feared he was in danger of losing his life."

A witness heard McCowie tell the victim he was going to kill him and saw him draw his fingers across his throat.

The victim drove off and called police, but in the meantime McCowie tried to get into The Falcon pub, only to be barred by the landlady.

Armed police officers then arrived and arrested McCowie, but on the way to the police station they noticed he was using a mobile phone.

When they stopped to take the phone off him he spat on one of the officers, hitting him just below his right eye.

In a police interview later he admitted having the rifle but claimed he did not take it out of its box.

He also admitted spitting on the police officer.

Kellie Enever, defending McCowie, said: "He wishes that he could offer an apology himself to the victim because he appreciates how frightening it must have been for him.

"He is remorseful about what happened."

Ms Enever said her client was under the influence of a drug, and possibly alcohol, at the time.

She added that McCowie had smoked cannabis with his parents since he was 10 and said the incident was 'out of character'.

Ms Enever said: "It is clear he is a young man who absolutely would benefit from a huge support network from being properly treated in a hospital setting."

At a previous hearing McCowie pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and one count of assault.

Judge Zoe Smith said she would take the recommendations of two lengthy reports that recommended he receive treatment for a mental health disorder and sectioned him under section 37 of the Mental Health Act.