A jealous man threatened his lover with a gun after he suspected she was seeing someone else.

Craig Relf lifted his jumper to reveal the pistol tucked into the waistband of his trousers.

Victoria Thorpe thought the gun was real and believed Relf would shoot her, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Today Relf, of Burwash Street, Broad Oak, Heathfield, was jailed for 30 months after admitting possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear.

The 36-year-old butcher had taken the imitation Israeli army Desert Eagle pistol to the Cross-in-Hand Pub at Heathfield.

Although it was not real the gun could be used as a starting pistol and was able to fire blank rounds.

Alan Gardner, prosecuting, said Relf had earlier left a message on Miss Thorpe's phone threatening to shoot her.

However, she did not hear the message before he arrived at the pub on March 30.

Mr Gardner said: "They were living together but Miss Thorpe says he was very jealous and had a controlling and manipulative personality.

"There were arguments over his suspicions about where she was and who she might be with and she became wary of him."

Miss Thorpe was with her father in the pub when Relf arrived and threatened her with the gun.

She hid in the kitchen while another customer got Relf outside and the police were called.

The gun with four blank cartridges in it was found hidden behind a wall.

Jack Talbot, defending, said Relf was drunk and could not remember what had happened.

He accepted that his former fiancee must have been frightened but he had not intended to shoot her.