A man who pointed an air rifle at his 85-year-old neighbour and laughed after pulling the trigger has been jailed for 20 months.

Ian Stacey, 46, of St David's Road, Tairgwaith, Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on 8 November. The incident happened on 25 May this year in the village in Neath Port Talbot. Prosecutor Brian Simpson told the court that the victim had parked his car near his house and got out, when Stacey, who was standing nearby with a number of other men and wearing just a pair of pink shorts, raised an air rifle to his shoulder and pointed it at him.

According to the prosecution case, Stacey looked down the weapon's sight directly at the pensioner, then pulled the trigger, causing a loud banging noise, before laughing. The 85-year-old victim told the court he has struggled to sleep since the incident and suffers flashbacks in which he sees the weapon being pointed at him. He said: "I feel more vulnerable than I ever have."

Police seized the weapon, which was later examined and found to be a spring-loaded air rifle. The court heard that, because of its muzzle velocity, it was classed as a firearm, although no certificate was needed to own one. In interview, Stacey gave officers a prepared statement in which he denied pointing the weapon at his neighbour, saying he had instead been pointing it at the sky.

Stacey pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. His barrister told the court his client was "something of a loner" and that on the day in question he had been showing off to those he was with and "acting somewhat the fool". The barrister said Stacey had spent 161 days on remand and that custody "has had a salutary effect" on him.

Police were called after the incident and Stacey was arrested in the street a short time later. The court also heard that he had 16 previous convictions for 26 offences, including assaulting a police constable, criminal damage, and being drunk and disorderly.

Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Stacey to 20 months in prison. He will serve a third of that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting his former neighbour. The judge noted that Stacey would be unable to return home and would effectively be homeless if he was immediately released from custody.