A MAN who threatened his neighbour with a gun before violently attacking him has appeared in court.

Keith Codrington, 43, pointed the air pistol at his startled neighbour as he sat in his car in Vinter Terrace at about 6.15am on October 3, last year.

Codrington demanded the 58-year-old get out of the vehicle then dragged him to the floor and hit him with the weapon – breaking his nose.

He threatened him again before taking his bag containing a sat nav and cash.

He then told the victim to get back into his car and drive to the police station.

The victim drove around the corner where he called police. Officers attended and arrested Codrington and seized the bag and air pistol.

Codrington pleaded guilty to theft, causing actual bodily harm and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He was sentenced to a hospital order at Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (Monday).

Detective Sergeant Rich Sinclair said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim who genuinely feared for his life.

“He had no idea that the gun being pointed at him was not real.

“This was an isolated incident, the kind of which is, thankfully, exceptionally rare for Cambridge.”