A THUG threatened to shoot his two noisy neighbours and told them he “would kill them if they didn’t shut up”.

Florin Iascurschi, 33, of Warrior Square, Southend, pointed an imitation gun at two women in a fit of rage after demanding they kept the noise down.

Iascurschi was living in a neighbouring room to the women in a house of multiple occupancy.

He told the pair he would kill them and waved the gun in their faces, before armed police rushed to the incident on October 7, 2020.

Officers found the weapon alongside ammunition in Iascurschi’s room.

He appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced and was told his actions caused fear and shock as he was jailed for six months.

Prosecuting Matthew Bagnall, said: “He went to the door and was verbally abusive about the noise and said if they didn’t shut up he would kill them.

“He went back to his room and came back holding what appeared to be a black handgun.

“The women were in fear and shock and a friend called the police. They found the imitation gun that was loaded and other ammunition too.”

Mitigating Kevin Toomey admitted Iascurschi’s behaviour was “ridiculous”.

He said: “There was no intent to cause injury and he couldn’t have with the imitation gun.

“Part of the reason for the ridiculous overreaction was that he was threatened by three men when he complained about the noise.

“Like an idiot he went to get the gun and brandished it as he accepts.”

He claimed he was confronted by three men who were friends of the women after initially asking them to keep the noise down and that he was threatened by the trio during the incident.

Iascurschi was sentenced to six months in prison but due to the amount of time he spent in custody he was released yesterday.

Sentencing him Judge Sam Cohen said: “These women did not know it was an imitation gun and were frightened.

“I accept this was completely out of character and you pose low risk or reoffending.

“There was no planning and it was spare of the moment incident with limited scope.”