A man who gatecrashed a party and threatened teenagers with a revolver and a baton has been jailed for nine months.

A group of youths were partying on the 11th floor of a block of flats at The Peninsula in Pegasus Way, Gillingham.

During the evening one of the revellers went to the balcony and shouted “Oi” to drunk Lewis Newman as he was crossing the road.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said about 20 minutes later Newman, who also lived in the flats, banged on the door and shouted: “Who called me a bald ----?”

When the door was opened he entered holding an extended baton. He was also believed to have a knuckle duster and a chain.

He moved into the living room and they could then see he had a gun which looked like a .44 Magnum.

He was aggressively shouting: “I have just come out of prison.”

“All those at the party were extremely frightened,” Miss Todd told Maidstone Crown Court.

“They didn’t know what he was going to do.

“All say they were completely shocked. They feared they were going to be shot.

“Some have had flashbacks, saying they are replaying the incident over and over again in their heads.”

"All those at the party were extremely frightened... they feared they were going to be shot" - Bridget Todd

Railway worker Newman, 37, eventually left and went to a nearby pub.

The flat tenant called his father, who contacted the police.

Newman was arrested at the pub the next day. He admitted possessing an imitation firearm and possessing an offensive weapon.

He had three previous convictions for six offences.

In March 2011, he was jailed for three years and eight months for grievous bodily harm with intent.

Newman had completed 147 of 200 hours unpaid work imposed in 2016 for assault causing actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said he found it “surprising and worrying” that Newman claimed he had a BB gun that belonged to his son.

He also found it “fanciful” because the son was only four.

“This must have been a terrifying incident for your young victims,” said the judge.

“Plainly, you have a drink problem. The greatest mitigation lies in your guilty pleas.”

Newman was jailed for six months for the offences and three months consecutive for breaching a suspended sentence.