A devout Catholic who pointed a replica handgun at two Mormon missionaries who turned up at his door has been jailed for 136 days.
Robert Sacawa, 42, threatened the two women as they tried to introduce him to their faith.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Sacawa’s weapon was a replica of a Colt 9mm automatic pistol and could only fire pellets.
However, the two preachers didn’t know that and they ran away from the scene terrified.
The missionaries believed unlawful violence would be used against them
Sacawa admitted possessing the imitation firearm at his former home in Rockall Place, Lossiemouth on June 10 2018.
The case took so long to come to court because Sacawa repeatedly failed to appear for two court hearings and a warrant had to be issued for his arrest.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told the court: “The two missionaries visited his home to spread the word about their religion.
“He told them that he was of the Catholic faith and he said he would not be swayed from that”.
The conversation continued but ended abruptly when Sacawa went into his house and came out with the handgun.
“He cocked it and waved it about. It was a BB gun manufactured in China which looked like a Colt self-loading pistol but was not capable of firing,” Mrs Gair said.
‘Inebriation no doubt played a part’
Defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill told the court: “At the time of the incident and in the months leading up to it, [Sacawa] had been consuming a significant amount of alcohol following the breakdown of his marriage.
“Alcohol had been consumed on the day in question prior to the attendance of the two missionaries. Initially, he had engaged in pleasant conversation with the complainers.
“However after their initial conversation, in what he thought was a joke, he presented the imitation firearm,” he said.
“He accepts that it was in extremely bad taste but his inebriation no doubt played a part in his decision.
“Given that his life is now back in Poland, he simply wishes to serve a custodial sentence, draw a line under this matter and move on with his life.”
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald sentenced him to 136 days in prison backdated to March 22.
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