AN Orford man who was caught with a pistol BB gun and a dart in a public place has been given a second chance by the courts.

Ruslans Ignats, of Mortimer Avenue, was caught with the items on St Benedict’s Close in Orford.

He appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to possessing an imitation firearm in a public place and possessing a sharp-pointed article in a public place at an earlier hearing.

The 29-year-old was caught with the BB gun and dart, which court documents state were without ‘lawful authority’ or ‘reasonable excuse’, in August last year.

The court documents also say how the offences are ‘so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified’.

But because of the ‘unique circumstances of the offence’ - specifically the dart which can be bought lawfully - and the fact that magistrates believed that the defendant can be rehabilitated, the sentence was suspended.

Ignats was handed a prison sentence of 20 weeks and six days which is suspended for 12 months.

He must also complete up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and is subject to an electronic curfew for 12 weeks.