AN alcoholic fired an air rifle while showing it off to his stepson’s teenage friend – and shot him in the leg, a court heard yesterday.

Carl Moore, who lived in Beaconsfield Street, Darlington, at the time of the offence, had been drinking and was arguing with a friend over a gun when the 16-year-old victim arrived at his home.

Tamara Pawson, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court: “Mr Moore asked him to go into the kitchen and showed him the rifle and let him hold it.

“As he was walking out of the kitchen, he heard the defendant cock the rifle before feeling a sharp pain in his leg.”

The victim was treated for a minor leg injury in hospital and prescribed painkillers.

He told police he had been shot by an unknown person, but later admitted who had carried out the assault.

He had been reluctant to name Moore because he did not want to be seen as a “grass”, and even hid the rifle for the defendant so it would not be found at his home – but later told police what had happened.

Robert Mochrie, in mitigation, said there had been a lack of premeditation in the case and that it had been a mistake to fire the weapon at the teenager.

Recorder Neil Davey gave Moore a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to live at his mother’s home in Murrayfield Way, Darlington, for the first month.

He said: “At 32 years of age, you have many previous convictions and cautions.

“Fortunately, although the pellet entered his thigh, it did not seriously injure the complainant, but that is partly good luck. He could have been seriously injured or killed.

“This was committed when you were drunk. You have had for many years a very serious problem with drink.

“Your only way of both staying out of trouble and staying alive is by not drinking.”

He imposed the residence requirement so Moore’s mother could help him start to recover from his drink problem.