A MILITARY history buff who appears alongside Brad Pitt in his latest action film was last night behind bars for having an illegal Second World War pistol.

Kevin Burgon - a tank driver in Hollywood blockbuster Fury, and an extra in Atonement, starring Keira Knightley - knew the Italy-made Beretta was outlawed.

He hid it from gun inspectors each time they visited his Hartlepool home to check on his lawfully-held Winchester shotgun and Springfield and Enfield rifles.

On May 14 this year, a licensing officer inspected the weapons - secured in a locked cabinet - after 53-year-old married lorry driver Burgon had moved house.

The 1937 Beretta was found along with 49 rounds of 9mm ammunition under a throw on a bed when police searched the house looking for someone else, a court heard.

Legislation brought in after the Dunblane massacre made it illegal for certain handguns to be kept, and a series of amnesties were held so they could be handed in.

Burgon - a keen re-enactor of battles in his spare time - had the pistol before the law changed, and felt he could not give it up without being prosecuted.

His lawyer Andrew Teate told Teesside Crown Court that he had never fired it and kept it in the cabinet with the bullets unless he knew inspectors were calling.

Me Teate failed in an argument to persuade Judge Howard Crowson not to jail Burgon yesterday because there were "truly exceptional" circumstances in his case.

Burgon, of Dorchester Drive, was locked up for three years and four months after he admitted possessing a prohibited firearm and ammo without a certificate.

Mr Teate said his client's dreams of joining the army where dashed when he lost an eye, and fulfilled his interest in the military by taking part in display battles.

He said Burgon gave up his driving job after landing roles in 2007 film Atonement, which was partly filmed in Redcar, east Cleveland, and this year's Brad Pitt movie.

Highly-proficient Burgon had decommissioned the unlawful pistol, said Mr Teate, who told the judge: "The defendant had a total lack of criminal intent."

Burgon's family were in court to support him, and his wife sobbed as she left, saying: "My husband's a good man . . . he doesn't deserve this."

Twelve references from charity volunteers, a former employer, neighbours, friend and family spoke "in glowing terms" about him, said Judge Crowson.

"You are clearly a man of positive benefit to your community," the judge told Burgon. "You are an unselfish man in the way you behave and in the acts towards your neighbours.

"I accept that you had no malicious intent in relation to this gun, and your interest was the history of guns, weaponry and military memorabilia generally.

"If I thought differently, the starting point would have been much higher, if you had any malign intent . . . these are very serious offences."