A teenager, who held a toy gun to the throat of a man queueing to get in a Bradford nightclub, has been locked up for 20 months.

Jonathon Withey, 19, hid the imitation Walther P995 blank firing pistol in his sock before going to the NV club in Great Horton Road.

Prosecutor David McGonigal told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that Withey had loaned his provisional driving licence to a friend to gain entry to the club, but it was confiscated and he was told to collect it.

He secreted the toy gun in his sock after drinking at a friend’s house and went to the club, where he spoke to a former friend, who was so concerned about his strange manner she alerted police.

Mr McGonigal said Withey told the woman: “Watch what I am going to do.”

The defendant went to the door of the club and pushed past the complainant, who told him to watch out.

Withey reached into his sock, took out the imitation gun and held it under the complainant’s throat.

He put the toy back in his sock and was bundled to the floor by door staff, who removed the imitation gun. Withey was arrested.

Withey, of Hillside Road, Windhill, Shipley, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

His lawyer, Nigel Jameson, said his client’s anti-social behaviour post dated the tragic death of his father and a probation report suggested the significant bereavement may have impacted on his behaviour.

Judge John Potter told Withey he had taken a “monumentally stupid decision” to arm himself with the toy gun.

He said Withey had pre-planned what was to occur.

The judge said the defendant had held the imitation gun under the man’s chin, who had done nothing more than object to him pushing past.

He said: “I am quite satisfied those actions must have caused extreme concern, to say the least.”

But Judge Potter said Withey was not a dangerous offender and there was significant mitigation.