AN “ISOLATED and reclusive” man who threatened police officers with an imitation firearm a day after he faced eviction from his Winchester home has been jailed.

Richard Kempson brandished an air pistol at two officers when they attended his home in Mountbatten Court, on Andover Road, on August 25, this year.

They had been called after Kempson had damaged plant pots and been aggressive towards a female resident, Winchester Crown Court was told today (Wednesday).

Prosecuting, Stuart Ellacott said the day before the 61-year-old had been handed a suspended possession order by the County Court for aggressive behaviour towards female residents and staff.

When officers arrived, Kempson refused them entry to his flat, so a master key was sought. As police tried to enter, he shouted “if you come in here there is going to be trouble” and “go away or there is going to be blood down here”.

The court was shown body worn video of Kempson pointing a gun directly at PCs Cross and Lark as they opened the door. 

In a victim impact statement, PC Cross said: “I felt it was very possible that I could be left blind, disfigured or maybe even killed.

“Someone pointing a black handgun at my head is not a fair fight.”

A number of police were called to the incident, including firearms units, with Kempson handing over the gun at 11.30am the next day.

The gun, an Gamo P-800 .177 air pistol, was not loaded when it was given to police and no ammunition was found.

He was not arrested until 10pm when a siege, involving large number of officers in riot gear, took place - some 30 hours after officers were initially called.

Judge Jane Miller QC said that when police entered the flat three knives were found and an axe on the sofa.

In sentencing, the judge said that she considered Kempson “a continuing risk to and danger to the public” as well as police.

In mitigation, Nick Tucker said his client had the air pistol to shoot rabbits and pigeons when he would camp in the woods.

Mr Tucker said that Kempson suffers from depression and has become a “very isolated and anti-social individual” who “perceived himself as persecuted by the authorities and his neighbours”.

The court heard that Kempson had become “vexed in lockdown” due to his neighbours’ actions and “felt the management of Mountbatten Court were turning a blind eye to that behaviour”, Mr Tucker added: “There was no one he felt he could turn to to resolve that situation”.

Mr Tucker said that Kempson has now told him "what I did was very wrong, the stupidity of it is unbelievable".

Kempson had also not been taking his medication and on the day of the incident had drunk “his usual four pints of beer”.

On the day of the incident, neighbours were unable to return to their homes, while others were told to remain inside, and a police cordon was put in place.

Kempson was jailed for two years, having previously pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.