A MAN pulled a fake gun on a young university student after finding his flat had been ransacked, a court heard yesterday.

Undergraduate Ross Falkner, 23, who is 6ft 9in tall, threatened to "put a bullet" in Sunderland University student Emma Ward during the incident, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

The court heard that Falkner had returned home on February 13 to find his kitchen ransacked and went to a party looking for the man he thought was responsible.

Miss Ward opened the door to Falkner at the party, and after an argument he threatened her with an imitation gun.

Prosecutor Robert Woodcock told the court that after finding out the man was not at the party, Falkner had started to swear.

He said: "He started to rant and rave and she started to feel scared.

"He turned as if he was going to walk away, and then Emma Ward told him he should not come around here making threats.

"The defendant said 'oh yeah, if you don't shut up you will get a bullet through your head as well', and as he did that he pulled out the imitation pistol."

Yesterday, Falkner was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, for the incident after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said that Falkner, who suffers from an incurable bone disorder, had show a lot of remorse for the incident.

He said: "There is no question of him being any threat to anyone in the future."