A COUNTRY and western fan from Burnley who armed himself with a revolver to frighten someone he claimed owed him money has been jailed for nine months.

Preston Crown Court heard that a police armed response unit was called out after John Gilbert brandished the revolver when trying to get into a Burnley house. It turned out he had gone to the wrong address.

Gilbert, 65, of Heap Street, Burnley pleaded guilty to an offence of possessing a firearm, a revolver handgun, with intent to cause a person to believe that unlawful violence would be used.

Brian Williams, prosecuting, said it was on January 30 this year when police received a call about a man with a gun.

Police went to the area and saw the defendant walking along Bar Street. He said he had given the gun to a female.

Following arrest he told police that he was owed money and that day had seen that person, who had been abusive. He said he went to collect the gun and went to where he thought she lived in order to frighten her and get the money.

He realised he had got the wrong house. Damage had accidentally been caused there and he offered to pay for it.

He had had the gun for many years and was a country and western enthusiast. The prosecution said the gun - a six chamber revolver - was incapable of firing bullets.

Defence counsel Alex Leach said Gilbert had acted enormously out of character that day.

"He is overcome with remorse and overwhelmed by the seriousness of the position in which he finds himself."

He had had a "sustained bout of temper" that day. "It is accepted that it must have been a terrifying experience for the aggrieved" said Mr Leach.

The judge, Mr Justice Leveson, said he had absolutely no doubt that Gilbert would never do anything like it again.

He told him "It is a tragedy a man of your age and background should appear before the courts on this extremely serious charge".

The defendant accepted that he frightened an entirely innocent occupant.