Former pub landlord Timothy Ward, who used a gun to confront three young drinkers in the pub toilets, has escaped jail.

Ward, 42, the former landlord of the Queen's Own pub in Woodstock, had burst into the toilets carrying a First World War .22 air rifle.

Last month, Ward was convicted of affray by Witney magistrates. Sentencing was adjourned and magistrate Bernard Youngs told him he could face a jail sentence.

Yesterday, Ward, who now runs a catering franchise at The Bull Inn, Litcham, Norfolk, was sentenced to 120 hours community service and told to pay £250 costs.

Mr Youngs said: "We are not sending you to jail but we do consider this a serious matter."

Andrew Sherriff, 22, Darren Simmons, 18, and Gary Chapman, 22, told how they were enjoying a quiet drink in the Queen's Own and decided to go to the toilet before going home. Ward burst into the toilet after them, holding a gun taken from the pub's wall, and told them to get out.

Mr Sherriff said: "I was shocked. I was so scared at the time. It looked like a shotgun he was holding. I was scared of what might happen."

Jane Watt, defending, said Ward had taken over the Queen's Own in January this year and put £10,000 into the business. Previously he had run pubs successfully in Marlborough, Wiltshire.

shortly before the incident, Ward was shocked when he woke during the night to find three youths trying to burgle the premises.

Miss Watt said: "The incident with the gun was short-lived and an error of judgement. Two of the youths were scared, but at no time was the air rifle pointed at them and when the three left people in the pub were laughing."

Ward lost his job and the stress aggravated a long-term illness with stomach ulcers. "He developed peritonitis and at one stage was so ill he was given last rites by a priest. It was touch and go for him," said Miss Watt.

She handed over character references from his new employers in Norfolk and previous employers.

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