A 41-YEAR-OLD man was seen discharging an air pistol outside a house in Blackburn.

The town’s magistrates heard a woman who challenged Mark Alan Taylor was assaulted and her phone damaged after she told him the police had been called.

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And when officers arrested Taylor they found he had driven to the scene while more than double the legal drink drive limit.

Taylor, of Ripon Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing a .22 air pistol in a public place, assaulting Helen Jones and damaging her phone, and driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 12 months, made subject to a community order for 12 months with a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £120 with £85 costs and £137 compensation and banned from driving for 20 months..

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said Taylor pulled up outside the house in Ouseburn Road at about 9pm. He approached the home of a Mr Dean who was not known to him and started shouting that the occupant had ‘done this to me’.

Mrs Jones, a neighbour, described him as very drunk and becoming more and more aggressive. He was firing the air pistol and she said pellets were ‘pinging’ off the house.

“She got her partner to call the police and started filming the defendant on her mobile. When she told him the footage would be going to the police Taylor started running towards her.

“She tried to get into the house but he pounced on her and they both landed on the floor,” said Mrs Mann. “Mrs Jones suffered cuts and bruises and had to go to hospital.”

Mrs Mann said when police arrived Taylor said he didn’t want to drive anymore and then said: “Someone has got to shoot these people, the police aren’t doing a good job.”

Ben Leech, defending, said his client struggled to put forward any rational explanation for his behaviour.

“What was behind it is a mystery,” said Mr Leech. “It stems from paranoia about people placing cameras on him and watching his movements but why he turned up at this address carrying an air pistol he can’t explain.”

Mr Leech said his client didn’t believe there were any pellets for the pistol.

“He is not saying it wasn’t fired but he doesn’t think there was any ammunition fired from it,” he said.