BB gun pair face prison (From This Is Wiltshire)

BB gun pair face prison

6:10am Friday 10th July 2009 in

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A JUDGE has warned two men they face jail after they were accused of holding a ball bearing firing pistol to a woman’s head and her boyfriend’s throat.

Dean Casey and James Deegan both pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

But they will still face a trial before a judge after claiming they had not held the pistol to the head or neck of either victim.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told a judge at Swindon Crown Court that 18-year-old Deegan had provided the weapon for Casey, 27, during the incident in Penhill in March.

Miss Marlow said Casey then confronted Michael Kirby and Jolene Breslin. She said it was the Crown’s case that he then held the weapon to the neck of Mr Kirby and to the head of Miss Breslin.

Although the two men pleaded guilty to the offences, which took place on Friday, March 27, they each entered a basis-of plea.

Casey claimed he only had the gun with him as protection in case he was threatened by either Miss Breslin or Mr Kirby and did not point it at them.

But Miss Marlow said the Crown alleged he had the gun to threaten the couple.

She also said his claim that Miss Breslin and her boyfriend were thrown out of a club earlier after she started shouting at the defendant were denied, as was his suggestion that they had agreed to meet up later.

Deegan claimed that after driving to Penhill he sat in Casey’s car while the other man went out and was involved in an altercation with the two victims.

He said he was watching as arms were waved and did not see the gun produced. It was damaged when his co-defendant returned to the car.

“If he had been watching he would have seen Mr Kirby trying to grab the BB gun,” she told the court.

Casey, of The Wynces, Bishopstone, and Deegan, of Shrewsbury Road, Swindon, each pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Casey also admitted possessing amphetamines and Deegan admitted having cannabis.

Judge William Hart adjourned the case for a trial of issue where a judge sitting alone will decide the truth after hearing the witnesses.

Releasing the men on conditional bail, he said: “You should assume whatever on the next occasion that the overwhelming likelihood is you will both receive custodial sentences.”