Woman who pointed gun at cars is spared jail
A crown court judge said he was turning his back on the option of imprisoning 28-year-old Bath woman Stacie Jones because of her exceptional personal circumstances.
Jones had drank so much that she could not remember standing outside her home in Old Fosse Road with a gun pressed to her shoulder and aiming it at passing vehicles.
She was reported to police by three motorists and arrested after an armed squad took control of the situation.
She later pleaded guilty to a single charge of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
She was given a 12-month community order at Bristol Crown Court and told she would be supervised for eight months.
James Patrick, prosecuting, said Jones toted the imitation rifle for half an hour on the afternoon of July 6 this year.
"The defendant was observed by three separate drivers and other witnesses.
"She was observed with what appeared to be a rifle in her hand pointing it at oncoming vehicles in Old Fosse Road in Bath.
"She was holding it against her shoulder and moving it as though she was shooting at oncoming cars, although no shots were heard.
"Such was the alarm of three drivers that police were called and an armed response was called for," said Mr Patrick.
He said that when police attended the scene, Jones had pointed her weapon at them before retreating into her home when she was told they were armed and ordered to drop her weapon.
The court heard that Jones emerged with a large German Shepherd dog but then obeyed instructions to put the dog away and get down on her knees.
Mr Patrick said the woman was then arrested and told officers her gun did not work.
In a statement to police, Jones said she had drunk a huge amount that day and could not remember what happened.
Giles Nelson, defending, said his client was an intelligent and capable woman but had suffered "events" in her childhood and adolescence that had led to behavioural problems and heavy drinking.
He said she had been diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder and at times when she was vulnerable turned to alcohol.
The court heard that Jones now saw a community psychiatric nurse daily, was receiving behavioural therapy and had "massively reduced her alcohol intake."
Recorder Mr Donald Tait told her the offence carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
He said she had caused "considerable alarm" to members of the public but he could spare her jail because it was an "exceptional" case and she was an "exceptional" woman.
He added: "The message must go out that in normal circumstances people convicted of this type of offence would go to prison for a long time.
"I'm taking an exceptional course in the light of what I know and have read about you."
