Reports of "gunman" roaming streets of Inverness led to arrest of a teenager

Inverness Sheriff Court heard an 18-year-old was reported as being in possession of a gun.

However it was discovered after he was detained by police that the gun was in fact a toy BB pistol.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson heard Dick told police its plastic pellets would not pierce the skin.

However she said: "It could still take someone's eye out. The public who were alarmed did not know it was a toy."

Dick, who is currently serving a nine month sentence at Polmont Young Offender's Institution on other matters, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a number of charges.

The "gun" incident happened on March 15.

Before that, on February 20, he kicked and broke a plate glass window of a licensed newsagent in Farraline Park, Inverness because staff had refused to sell him alcohol.

Three days later he was in Tesco Inshes when he dropped a bottle of wine, smashing it on the floor.

When security staff tried to remove him he shouted that he was a police inspector and there was a bomb in the store.

Then on March 3 he stole two bottles of gin worth £50 from Marks and Spencer.

Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said: "His offending is against the background of alcohol."

Dick was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid community work to commence on his release from custody later this month.

He was also placed under one year's social work supervision with a review set for February 13.