Two brothers have been ordered to carry out unpaid work for possessing an air gun in public.

Darren and Konna Vialls must also attend rehabilitation to address their offending, following their guilty pleas at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court, in Ipswich, on Monday.

The brothers, of Mill Road, Waldringfield, were charged with possessing an air weapon on farmland in Friston on July 14 last year, while each was subject to a conditional discharge order.

Darren, 21, admitted possessing five grammes of skunk cannabis when arrested at home that day, while brother Konna, 19, pleaded guilty to several driving offences, resulting in a two-year ban.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablitt said the brothers legally purchased four air pistols from Birds Leisure, in Great Blakenham, along with a third young male.

The following day, police were called to an old farmhouse in Friston, used by a local family for storing personal belongings.

The owners arrived to find their path blocked by Konna’s unlicensed and uninsured car.

“Four young males were seen running towards the vehicle with what appeared to be a handgun,” said Mr Ablitt.

“The vehicle registration was reported and police began an area search. They later located the car and followed the brothers to their home address.

“Inside the car were three air guns, including a cocked .177 calibre pistol, charged with Co2 and equipped with a silencer. “Pellets were found in a container in the glove compartment.”

Solicitor David Allan said the guns were intended for target practice, but that the defendants’ mother went “apoplectic” when they turned up in her house.

“They put them in the car until they could figure out somewhere better, then went to a thoroughly abandoned farmhouse in the middle of nowhere.

“They don’t accept they had the firearms anywhere but in the car. What is agreed is that all the weapons were not loaded.”

Both were ordered to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work and spend 20 days on rehabilitation.

They had been in breach of an 18-month conditional discharge, imposed in December 2016 for assault, criminal damage and failure to surrender

Darren was also fined £50 for cannabis possession, while Konna received £890 in fines and 42 points for various driving offences – disqualifying him for two years.