N ELECTRICAL engineering student repeatedly fired a replica pistol from a car to "make himself feel big and hard," a court heard.

But after his arrest by armed police was by chance, saw him discharging the weapon, David Hume admitted he had "been acting like a dickhead."

Ordering him to carry out 240 hours' community service and pay £300 prosecution costs Judge Ian Trigger told Hume that he had been drinking too much and his life was teetering on irresponsibility.

Deborah Gould, prosecuting had told Liverpool Crown Court that the incident happened about 8pm on October 31 last year.

A police armed response team were investigating a stolen car in Speke Road, Speke, when Hume was driven past and fired two blank rounds at a building.

They pursued the car, driven by Hume's uncle, and approached it in the Asda car park in Speke Hall Road.

The Bruni 9mm semi-automatic pistol was found to contain a blank round and at his home they found an empty box of blanks, said Miss Gould.

When interviewed Hume admitted firing it twice on two occasions while driving around.

Defence counsel Philip Hall said that when 19-year-old Hume first fired the weapon his uncle told him to stop but he foolishly later fired it two more times.

"It was a moment of folly by an otherwise responsible young man from a good background."

He is on the threshold of an electrical engineering course leading to a university degree and his family have made their displeasure with his conduct very clear, added Mr Hall.

Hume, of Norleane Crescent, Old Town, Runcorn, pleaded guilty to affray.

Judge Trigger commended the arresting officers, constable Carl Moss and Tony Chana, who showed considerable restraint and did not produce their weapons.

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