A 19-YEAR-OLD from Ottery has been given a conditional discharge for bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country.

Daniel Kenneth Trump, of Chineway Gardens appeared before Exeter Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard that on May 29, he returned from holiday in Majorca with his family and girlfriend and was stopped by UK Borders Agency officers at Exeter Airport, who asked if he had anything to declare.

He showed them what turned out to be a black Taiwanese 6mm plastic pellet-firing air gun, a realistic imitation firearm which looks similar to a HK USP pistol, illegal in the UK. He had paid 20 Euros for it in Majorca.

Prosecutor Nigel Wraith said: “He intended to use it to shoot at targets in the garden a few times then put it on the shelf.”

Mark Drew, defending, said Trump had been unaware it was an offence to bring such an item back. He had no previous convictions, or links to gang culture.

“He brings it back to the UK without realising the gravity of what he’s done,” said Mr Drew

Trump went voluntarily to Heavitree Road police station for interview and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Chair of magistrates Anthony Martin told Trump he’d been “na�ve and stupid”, and there was nothing to be gained by passing anything more serious than a conditional discharge.

“You were very unwise to have purchased this weapon,” he said. “The deterrent effect of this will be that you will tell all your friends ‘for heaven’s sake don’t do it again, it can land you in serious trouble’.”

Trump was given a 12-month conditional discharge, meaning if he appears in court again within that time, that court will deal with this case too, and ordered to pay �100 costs. Mr Martin ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the weapon.