A DRUNKEN gunman who cocked a pistol and held it in front of a terrified young boy’s face after a confrontation in the street has been jailed.

Marc Williams, 32, brandished what appeared to be a genuine firearm before he was thrown to the floor and disarmed by a member of the public.

The police were called and the defendant was arrested after clashing with youths in Bargoed, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

John Ryan, prosecuting, said Williams later confessed to officers, as he was been taken into custody, that: “If I would have had the chance, I would have hurt them.”

The gun, the court was told, was classified as a firearm and it was powered by a gas cylinder, able to shoot pellets and was loaded at the time.

Mr Ryan said the incident took place on November 13 last year, after an argument took place between Williams and a group of teenagers after the defendant had recently been assaulted.

He added that when the boy asked him if the gun was real, he replied: “What do you think?”

Mr Ryan said that Williams had earlier bragged to someone, “Don’t worry, I’m packing.”

The court heard how he had waved the gun in front of the boys after reaching down to the bottom of his jeans to pull out the weapon.

Williams, of Upper Church Street, Bargoed, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The court was told he only had one previous conviction which was for a recent case of drink-driving.

Richard Ace, mitigating, said his client had been a hard-working man who was an electrician by trade but that he had lost his job after losing his driving licence.

His barrister added: “He describes himself as a functioning alcoholic. He was drunk when he went out with the pistol.”

Jailing him for 16 months, Judge Richard Twomlow told Williams: “This must have been very frightening for the boy.

“It looked like you had a gun and you were behaving as if it were a gun and that it was a loaded firearm.”

Williams will also have to pay a victim surcharge upon his release from custody.