A man who was getting a ride home in a police car ended up in trouble when the police officer noticed he was trying to conceal an imitation gun.
Kaine Noel Manning and an intoxicated friend were receiving rides home from a policeman on February 27. When the friend had been dropped off, Manning, 22, asked the officer if he could get into the front seat of the patrol car.
As he moved into the front seat the officer noticed a 16cm BB gun Manning had on his person. He tried to conceal the gun as he moved into the front seat. The officer discovered it was a BB gun and had three plastic pellets in it.
Manning explained he had the gun "in case someone rolled on me with a knife", Whanganui District Court heard on Tuesday.
He told police he wanted to use it to intimidate anyone who tried to attack him