TWO men with long criminal records were handed 18-month sentences despite taunting shoppers in West Ealing with a gun and holding it to a bus passenger's head.

One of the defendants, 39-year-old Maurice Moses, was also given an extra three-month sentence for breaching a suspended prison sentence at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, January 9).

The incident happened on August 4 last year, in the International Food Store in Uxbridge Road.

Judge Recorder Ian Peddie QC, told Moses from Thronton Heath, and co-defendent, Terry Purser, 34 of Feltham: "In the early hours of August 4 last year you had with you a pistol which fires pellets.

"The fact that it was defective and unable to be fired was no comfort to the public who witnessed it being brandished and one bus passenger who had it held to his head for ten seconds.

"It looked like a self-loading pistol. Fortunately the two incidents were caught on CCTV and it is apparent they were going to believe that you had a gun and, of course, it put them in fear of their safety".

The pair admitted an affray and having an offensive weapon in public, and Purser further admitted having a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The pair had been drinking when they entered the store brandishing the gun. When Moses spotted a woman with a black eye he grabbed the gun from Purser and threatened to kill the person who did it.

Prosecutor, Subhankar Banerjee told the court that a police armed response unit was called out but the two men had boarded a night bus bound for Hayes by the time officers arrived.

He said they were "acting a bit loud" and when a passenger joined in, Purser "turned on him and pulled out the pistol putting it to his head for about ten seconds. He thought it was a real gun and was very frightened".

The two men were arrested and neither had anything to say when questioned by police.

The pair escaped an indeterminate sentence for public protection despite both having long records of violence, as their counsel argued it was a "drunken escapade".

Jailing them, Recorder Peddie said their actions were "cheap, nasty and cowardly" and must have caused considerable fear.

He said: "The use of weapons is becoming part of the criminal culture and cannot be tolerated. You both have quite serious criminal records and only custodial sentences can be justified."