A MAN who turned up at a door demanding money while brandishing what looked like a pistol has been spared jail.

Jacob McCrory turned up at the door of a property in Troon demanding repayment of a debt – while armed with what turned out to be an airsoft gun.

The 31-year-old appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing last week after pleading guilty to making threats, brandishing the weapon, striking and kicking a door, and shouting and swearing during the incident at a property in Murdoch Court on December 14, 2021.

Procurator fiscal depute Craig Wainwright said: “At 2am the witnesses were awoken by the buzzer.

“They saw what they perceived to be a gun, and the accused stated ‘you owe me money, I’m here to collect’.

“He said ‘I’m coming in whether you like it or not - f*** off and get my money’.

“He began kicking the door and they had to hold it to keep it closed, fearing for their safety.”

McCrory left the area but police later went to his North Shore Road address with a firearm search warrant and recovered an air weapon which, though legal, looked similar to an Italian Beretta pistol.

Sentence was deferred until last week to allow social workers time to prepare a background report.

When McCrory returned to court, his solicitor, John Gallagher, said his client had previously lent money to one of the complainers.

Mr Gallagher told Sheriff Shirley Foran: “Mr McCrory knew the complainer as a previous neighbour. Funds had been borrowed on understanding they would be ultimately repaid – a not insignificant sum.

"Mr McCrory made various attempts to contact the complainer, which fell on deaf ears.”

Mr Gallagher said a second complainer then got involved and told McCrory that he was “not getting his money, ever”.

He said McCrory’s response was a “gross error of judgement on his part". 

Sheriff Foran told McCrory that while “waving about such an item” could attract a prison sentence, even though the item itself did not need a licence, she would “step back from custody”.

McCrory was placed on a community payback order which will see him supervised by social workers for two years.

He was also placed on a restriction of liberty order which will see him confined to his home between 7pm and 7am every night for four months.