A man who fired a BB gun in a bank has spoken of his relief at avoiding a prison term.

Ernest Moyo, 20, fired a BB pellet into the ceiling of Barclays Bank in Worthing town centre after the manager asked him to leave.

His solicitor blamed the crime on "stupidity".

Moyo, of Tarring Road, Worthing, was arrested after leaving the bank when a passing police officer spotted him carrying the toy gun.

In court at Worthing yesterday, he was given a 50-day suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay court costs of £138. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

After the hearing yesterday, Moyo said: "I'm really sorry. I want to put it all behind me now."

The court was told he did not know he was breaking the law by carrying an imitation firearm in a public place.

He had been given the gun by his aunt on November 10, 2005, to pass on to another relative who had accidentally left it at her house.

He went into town with a friend who called at the Chapel Road bank. Moyo went in to wait for him, got the gun out and put it on a table.

When bank manager Ian Godfrey asked Moyo what it was, he told him it was a BB gun.

Mr Godfrey asked him to take it outside but Moyo pointed the gun at the ceiling and fired a pellet before he and his friend left the bank.

Matthew Baines, defending, said: "This was clearly a matter of immaturity on his behalf. He had no idea it was an offence.

"While stupidity is not a defence in law, this is what is before us today."

He said Moyo did not know the gun was loaded and was "amazed" when he pulled the trigger and it went off.

Mr Godfrey said in a statement: "We just let them go without thinking any more of it. I felt they were two misguided young men with a toy gun."

District Judge Jonathan Radway told Moyo: "I think you committed this offence negligently.

"I think the risk of harm you pose to other people is low."