Drunken neighbour pulled cigarette lighter 'gun' on terrified woman at Leeds tower block
A drunken neighbour pulled out a “gun” to scare a woman after a blazing row in a Leeds tower block.
Adam Aduedda even pretended to “cock” the pistol which was actually a cigarette lighter during the melee outside Appleton Square in Burmantofts.
Leeds Crown Court heard that second-hand furniture salesman Aduedda, who lives in the block, had been at another flat in the tower drinking in the early hours of February 28 when he got into a spat with a woman.
CCTV caught them leaving the building at around 6am and fight breaking out, with Aduedda trying to strike the woman, prosecutor Vincent Blake-Barnard said. He said it was clear that Aduedda was intoxicated.
Aduedda missed with his blows but the victim connected with her own. Aduedda then went back inside to his own flat and reappeared with the hand gun, causing panic among the others. Due to his drunkenness he fell over. His wife appeared and took the apparent weapon from him.
The police were called and he was arrested. Interviewed on March 2, he said the gun was just a lighter and claimed he would never use it to scare someone.
The 36-year-old has no previous convictions but admitted possession of an imitation firearm with an intent cause fear of violence.
A probation report found that he he had been in the UK for 14 years, having come from Sudan. He said he got the gun from a car-boot sale, was a smoker and so used the lighter regularly.
He admitted he was angry and upset and did use the lighter to scare others for which he was “very ashamed” and “deeply regrets”. He also admitted he was an alcoholic but was able to work, owning two shops in Leeds, and helped refugees resettle.
No further mitigations was given by his barrister, Michael Greenhalgh, after the judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC said he would not lock him up.
But he described it as a “stupid incident born out of intoxication”. He added: “You have no other record at all but if you go waving guns around at people, imitation or otherwise, and pretend the cock the gun, then prison sentences are inevitable.
“You are a good tenant, good neighbour and help others less fortunate than you are. You obviously have alcohol issues but you continue to work hard . I accept it was out of character.”
He gave him a 20-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, gave him five rehabilitation days and ordered him to enrol on alcohol treatment requirement with the counselling service Forward Leeds. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 court costs.