A TEENAGER has been charged with possessing a firearm and intending to cause people to fear violence after an incident in a Powys village.

The gun – which looked like a revolver but is thought to have actually been an air pistol – was recovered, along with two other pistols, by police following a search, after the teenager handed himself in last week.

The incident allegedly happened on Monday, March 7, in Llanymynech, between Welshpool and Oswestry.

The 16-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was subsequently charged under Section 16A of the Firearms Act with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He appeared at Mold Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, March 12, and was granted bail and is due to appear in court again in Welshpool on Monday, March 28. He was ordered to obey a daily curfew preventing him from leaving his home address between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

“A report was made to police concerning a youth threatening people with a gun,” said Dyfed Powys Police Chief Inspector Jacqui Lovatt.

“On March 8 police were made aware of the fact that the previous night a youth had made threats to other youths with a handgun.

“Victims were identified who’d been subjected to threats. A black handgun was described as being used and a male was said to have made threats towards other youths.

“A teenager was arrested and charged with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence."

Chief Inspector Lovatt insisted that incidents like this would always attract a significant police response.

“We don’t want a culture of youths being in possession of guns and knives,” she said.

“This type of incident is taken really seriously and there are consequences.”