A “GUNMAN” threatened his housemates with a weapon at their bedroom door, sparking an armed police operation in Southend.

Kelvin Westnutt, of Wimborne Road, Southend accused his housemates of hacking his phone during the incident at bedsits in the city.

Armed police rushed to the home after the incident in March 2020.

The 40-year-old was jailed yesterday at Basildon Crown Court where the judge branded his behaviour as “outrageous”.

The court heard he threatened his housemates with what appeared to be a black handgun, but was actually a “legally held pistol used in an unlawful way”.

Prosecuting, Marc Brown, said: “On March 26, 2020, the couple were in bed and they heard someone shouting outside the door and demanding they open it.

“They recognised it to be the defendant and when the man opened the door he was confronted by the defendant who was holding what seemed to be a black handgun.

“He accused them of hacking his phone and was shouting in the man’s bedroom doorway with the gun.

“Armed police were called and attended and the defendant was arrested. There was no firing of the gun and it was a legally held pistol used in an unlawful way.”

The court heard how Westnutt had failed to attend court a number of times and been in custody for 10 weeks before yesterday’s hearing.

Mitigating, Christopher Martin, told the court his client’s taste of prison would ensure he would comply with any court orders.

He said: “There’s been a fundamental event in his life, which is being custody. He’s never been in prison before and it’s had a huge impact on him.

“He now understands the implications of failing to adhere to court orders. He’s not work shy and has been a contributing member of society.

He was previously of good character.”

Sentencing, Judge Samantha Cohen, said: “You behaved in an outrageous way and threatened your housemates and had an air pistol.

“They were frightened and understandably so, and they called the police. You were arrested and admitted affray. You are 40 and have not been in the court system before.”

He was sentenced for affray and the charge of attempting to possess a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence will lie on his file.

He was jailed for five months.