Ashfield man who fired air pistol outside A&E department to see if it was loaded spared prison
A young Ashfield man who fired an air pistol outside a hospital’s A&E department to see if it was loaded has been spared a prison sentence on condition he tackles his drug and alcohol problems, a court has heard.
Reece Wallace was intoxicated when security guards took him to be assessed on a ward at the Queens Medical Centre, on March 26, said Denney Lau, prosecuting.
CCTV showed Wallace, aged 21, sitting outside, taking the gas-powered gun from his bag and discharging it into the air.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Wallace had “troubling content” on his phone, including radicalised rap lyrics.
But a charge of sending an indecent, obscene or menacing message via a public communications network was not proceeded with.
Fergus Malone, mitigating, said: "The defendant is very much motivated. He has recognised he has had lengthy drug and alcohol problems.”
Last month Wallace was remanded back into custody for an assessment by the mental health team.
Wallace, formerly of Rawson Street, Selston, admitted possessing an imitation firearm and a blade in a public place, at previous hearings.
On Tuesday Judge Julie Warburton said she was concerned about offenders not getting the correct level of mental health support and wondered why the probation service decided Wallace wasn’t suitable for one.
“You didn't threaten anyone,” she told him. “Essentially you had these items with you and you didn't seem to think about them when you went there.”
She said he has previous convictions for possessing class A, B, and C, drugs, and had failed to engage with the mental health services.
"That is where you are going wrong,” she told him. “You need to take that help. if you don’t you are going to find yourself back where you are now.
"You have to deal with your drug and alcohol addictions.”
The judge said Wallce had found custody “very harrowing,” but what she proposed was not a soft option, and promised him the sentence would be activated if he failed to comply with it.
Wallce received a 20 month sentence, suspended for two years, with 40 rehabilitation days, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation requirements for nine months.