'Smirking' Leeds scrap man pointed realistic pump-action shotgun at woman 'as a joke'

The female was badly shaken after Eremia Dumitru lifted the imitation weapon up and pointed it at her when her car was unable to pass his parked van on Coxley View in Netherton, Wakefield.

Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, Frances Pencheon said Dumitru and another man had been out collecting scrap metal from gardens shortly before 12.30pm on September 8, 2020.

Stopping on Coxley View, a man told them they could have items left in his garden, including the realistic-looking gun, but warned them to “not do anything stupid” with it.

Moments later the woman was forced to slow down because of the van blocking her path, and Dumitru appeared with the gun and lifted it towards her with a “smirk” on his face.

The woman “froze in shock”, Miss Pencheon said. However, she took a photo of the van before it drove off and called the police. Officers pulled the vehicle over a short time later and found the gun in the footwell.

Dumitru was arrested and during his interview told officers he pointed at the woman in a “jokey way”, accepted that he saw the terrified look on her face and apologised.

Now 24-year-old, he admitted affray while a charge of possessing an imitation firearm with an intent to cause fear of violence is to lie on file.

Mitigating, Charles Blatchford said there was remorse and understood the fear he had imposed on the woman. Dumitru, who had been living on Elford Grove in Harehills at the time, but now lives on Chestnut Rise in Wanstead, London, has no previous convictions and has not been in trouble since.

The judge, Recorder Richard Woolfall told Dumitru: “On the spur of the moment, you pointed that gun in her face. I’ve seen the photographs of that gun and it looks realistic.

"It’s clear you thought it was a funny joke. She was terrified. You had not thought of the consequences of what you were doing. I’m satisfied it was an act of complete stupidity.”

He gave him a 12-month community order, 15 rehabilitation days and 95 hours of unpaid work.