A GAMEKEEPER who pointed a loaded air rifle at a Stowmarket nightclub bouncer has been jailed for three years.

A GAMEKEEPER who pointed a loaded air rifle at a Stowmarket nightclub bouncer has been jailed for three years.

Taroe Westgate was fuelled with rage and alcohol when he lifted the weapon onto his shoulder and aimed it at Joker's Nightclub doorman Kevin Barry, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Westgate, who was described by his ex-girlfriend Natalie Brown as “controlling”, had spoken to Miss Brown in the Duke's Head pub on the evening of June 14, three weeks after their break up, and then turned up later to the club where she worked.

Samantha Leigh, prosecuting, said there had been a “ruck” between Mr Barry and Westgate who was drunk. Mr Barry told police Westgate became aggressive so he grabbed him, forced him to the ground then ejected him from the club.

Humiliated, Westgate, 36, of Thirlmere Drive, Stowmarket, went to his car in Joker's car park and took out the high velocity loaded air rifle.

He then stood outside the club about 15 metres away from Mr Barry and aimed it at him with the safety catch on.

Mr Barry told police: “I saw a male shadow and he was holding a firearm of some type.”

The court heard that a police armed response unit arrived and an officer had Westgate in his gun sights before the gamekeeper lowered his weapon and returned to his car.

Westgate, who has a record for dishonesty and violence, drove away but was stopped by police and provided a positive breath test which revealed he had 83 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breathe. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

The defendant told police he had spent the day fishing and drinking lager in Felixstowe with his friend and had stopped off to shoot rabbits with the air rifle before driving to Stowmarket for a night out.

He pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and to not having a firearm certificate.

Westgate, who had a conviction for drink driving in 2002, also admitted driving with excess alcohol on June 14.

Judge John Holt said: “At 12.45 you returned to the club, you had a high velocity air rifle capable of causing lethal injury.”

He said Mr Barry's adrenalin levels “exploded” and he shouted at people to get back into the club to stop them being harmed.

Judge Holt said: “Mr Barry said 'I thought I was about to die and was preparing myself for the sting of the bullet'. But to his credit he stayed outside trying to get people into the club.”

He added that, fortunately, police restraint had prevented Westgate being shot by officers.

Westgate was jailed for a total of three years and disqualified from driving for three years.