County Durham man jailed after pointing replica BB gun at neighbour's living room window

A man has been jailed for harassing his neighbour before pointing a gun and threatening to kill him.

Durham Police said Steele Jagger had been harassing his neighbour for around two years before his behaviour became increasingly worse in August this year.

One incident saw the 65-year-old write “God loves you” in chalk on his neighbour’s parking space before pretending to shoot him from across the street.

Matters reached ahead on 21 August where he went across to his neighbour's family carrying what appeared to be a pistol. The victim and his family were left seeking cover as he pointed the weapon through their living room window.

Armed police attended the scene in Haswell, County Durham where they arrested Jagger and seized the weapon, which was later found to be a replica BB gun after being examined by a police firearms expert. 

Jagger pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and making threats to kill.

He appeared at Durham Crown Court on Tuesday 17 October and was jailed for three years.

Detective Constable Alex Bilby, from Durham Police, said: “Jagger has shown a startling escalation in his behaviour towards his neighbour, culminating in this terrifying incident which left the man and his family fearing for their lives and having to seek cover inside the address.

“Understandably the victims – some of whom were children – were extremely distressed by the incident, so I am pleased we have been able to get justice for them and hopefully allow them to move on with their lives.”

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