A SPURNED lover has been jailed for nine months after threatening to shoot a woman with an imitation handgun.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Stephen Barlow had had a brief intimate relationship with Kay Brooks.

But David Pojur, prosecuting, told how 26-year-old Miss Brooks was in a relationship with someone else and ended her involvement with Barlow, who continued to send her texts professing his love.

At 1am on April 26, after getting drunk, he went round to her flat in Bedford Street, Heaton.

As she partially opened the flat door, stopping it from opening fully with her foot, Barlow pointed a black handgun at her and said: “You’re a slag. I’m going to shoot you.”

She managed to shut the door on him and call police.

When police arrived at Barlow’s home, also in Bedford Street, he also threatened to shoot one of them.

A search of his living room revealed three imitation guns, including a realistic looking BB gun he had used against Miss Brooks.

Barlow, aged 36, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent.

He told police: “If I have caused offence or fear I’m sorry. I was drunk and being an idiot.”

Tom McKail, defending, said the former territorial army soldier and father-of-three had been “swept away” by the relationship with Miss Brooks but accepted she would have been scared by his visit to her home.

He added that the gun was not in working condition.

Jailing Barlow for nine months and ordering him to pay a £100 victim surcharge, Recorder Peter Cowan told him: “The use of imitation guns can cause great fear. It can be very difficult to tell them from the real thing and that was your intention on that occasion.”