'Stupid' air gun teenagers scared Metro passengers

Two "stupid" teenagers who terrified Metro passengers by firing air pistols at a station have been given suspended sentences.

John Tyas and Kai Gray, both 18, were seen firing pellets from realistic looking handguns at advertising hoardings at Monkseaton station at about 22:30 GMT on 21 January, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Judge Stephen Earl said the pair "waving around" such weapons had caused the community "a lot of alarm", with their actions causing 90-minute delays on the network.

Each was jailed for 10 months, suspended for a year and a half, after admitting possessing imitation firearms with intent to cause fear of violence.

Two people contacted police after seeing the teenagers firing their weapons in and around the station in North Tyneside amid fears people could be hit, prosecutor Rachel Butt said.

Several trains had to be held at other stations because of their actions resulting in lengthy delays, the court heard.

In mitigation for Gray, Estelle Chambers said the incident had "stemmed from stupidity" and there was "nothing more" to his actions than "being stupid and making a very poor decision".

Judge Stephen Earl said it was a "very serious matter" with the offence carrying a maximum of 10 years in prison.

He said the pair, both from North Tyneside, had been "waving around" firearms which "to all normal people" appeared to be "very realistic".

"You can imagine people seeing these at a distance would be put in fear," the judge said, adding guns caused "a lot of alarm in the community".

But he said there was substantial personal mitigation for each "vulnerable" youth, with their "catastrophic lack of maturity" understandable given their respective difficult childhoods.

"Each of you is, I believe, expressing proper remorse," the judge said.

They must each work with the Probation Service and complete 175 hours' unpaid work as part of their suspended sentence.

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