A MAN who fired a bolt-action rifle during an armed siege in a Gwent village faces jail, a judge warned yesterday.

Dean Daniels, 38, was arrested by armed police on December 27 last year, after firing the German-made pre-war .22 bolt- action gun following a dispute with his girlfriend, Catherine Prescious, and another man, Mark Griffiths, in Wattsville.

At Newport crown court yesterday Daniels, formerly of Morrisville, Wattsville, pleaded guilty to four firearms offences. He admitted having a loaded firearm in a public place, possessing a firearm when prohibited to do so after being convicted and sentenced to custody for four years, possessing a firearm without a certificate and possessing prohibited ammunition.

A charge of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence on Mark Griffiths will remain on file after the prosecution decided not to proceed with the alleged offence.

The court heard that Daniels became involved in the incident in George Street after he became annoyed at Ms Prescious who went to visit Mr Griffiths.

Prosecutor Peter Davies told the court Daniels had a previous conviction for attempted robbery on a postal security officer at Llanbradach in 1999. In January 2000 Daniels was jailed for four years at Cardiff crown court for that incident after trying to snatch a security case as it was being delivered to Llanbradach post office.

Daniels left empty-handed, was followed and caught but not before he had time to burn his clothes with accelerants.

Judge Neil Bidder, QC, warned Daniels he will receive a custodial sentence and he was released on conditional bail.

Sentence was adjourned until April 7 for the preparation of reports.