A MAN threatened to pull a gun on a group of teenagers after they threw a snowball which hit a window, a court heard yesterday.

Jason Todd, 28, of Neville Parade, Newton Aycliffe, was convicted in his absence of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, after he failed to attend the town's magistrates' court to stand trial.

The court heard that a group of teenagers began a snowball fight in Neville Parade on February 26 as they waited for a taxi.

A snowball hit the window of the shop below Todd's flat and he shouted out to them to stop because he had a two-year-old son.

District Judge Michael Wood, convicting Todd, said the teenagers had carried on the game away from his home but he had come downstairs and punched one of them to the floor.

He said he showed one of the girls involved something that was sticking out of the waistband of his trousers which "she thought resembled a gun".

"He then said he had a gun," said the judge.

"They obviously were frightened. As far as I'm concerned the case is proved."

He issued a warrant for Todd's arrest.