Gun incident was an air pistol prank

[Nwicker60]

Armed police unit drafted in for incident that "frightened folk out of their wits"
AN armed response police team sped north following a report of a man pointing a gun in a car at Scrabster harbour.
But they discovered it was nothing more serious than a teenage prank involving an air pistol Wick Sheriff Court heard today.
The teenager, Jamie Morris, found himself on the receiving end of a dressing down from Sheriff Andrew Berry who described the accused's actions as "cras stupidity".
Sheriff Andrew Berry made the point that alarmed members of the public who had witnessed Morris pointing the gun skywards, had no way of knowing if there were more sinister implications.
The 19-year-old admitted having the air weapon in his possession at the Caithness port on October 18, last year. Sheriff Berry imposed a fined of £650.
Davd Barclay prosecuting, said that bystanders, who witnessed the incident, saw the car drive off. He said: "They didn't know what type of gun it was...whether it was an air pistol or something more sinister."
The report was treated as a serious incident by the police and the armed response team was dispatched from Inverness. They traced Morris who told them he had "done it for a laugh" although in hindsight, he realised he had been "stupid".
When interviewed by police, Morris, of 17 Grant Avenue, Thurso, the "penny finally dropped" and the accused appreciated that the onlookers would have felt threatened.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said there was no ill intent regarding his actions for which Morris apoligised. He also deeply regretted the inconvenience caused to the poice and added that the episode had been "a salutory lesson".
Sheriff Berry said that witnesses had been "frightened out of their wits"
The sheriff told Morris:" It does not matter to distressed bystanders whether the gun was loaded or not. It is still the same terrifying ordeal for them". Sheriff Berry deplored that fact that police resources had to be deployed for an incident the accused had regarded as "a laugh".
Sheriff Berry expressed the hope that the "significant" fine he imposed, would bring home to others that public order "must not be disrupted by such juvenile behaviour". The air pistol was ordered to be forfeit.