A drugs runner has been jailed for five years after shooting a woman at a skate park.

Jamie Hood chased a couple, fired three times and beat them with a gun over a drugs feud.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard Hood, 21, had been staying with them at a flat.

While he was asleep the pair grabbed a bag full of cash and drugs before going into hiding.

The woman had reportedly loaned Hood, of Forest Road, Witham about £600 and when he failed to pay her back they decided to steal from him.

Hood eventually found them near the park in Coggeshall Road, Braintree.

Matthew Bagnall, prosecuting, said: “He said: ‘Where’s my money?’ and pulled out what looked like a black handgun from his waistband and pointed it at him walking towards them.

“To him it looked like a real gun, he felt he was going to be shot.

“She placed herself between him and the defendant who fired the ball bearing gun three times.”

Hood was then heard to threaten him, saying: “Get on your knees or I’ll shoot you” before beating both the victims with the BB gun.

Hood admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Monday, following the incident in April.

He also admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs having been caught at a hotel in Chelmsford with 51 wraps of heroin and 116 wraps of cocaine at a Travelodge in Chelmsford in November.

Judge Patricia Lynch QC, sentencing, said: “I take on board your background, but there are others with difficult lives that do not turn to crime.

“Your intention was to put them in fear of violence and you most certainly did.”

Hood was sentenced to 12 months in prison for each assault and four years for possession of an imitation firearm, to run at the same time.

He was sentenced to three and a half years for two charges of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, to run consecutively.

The term was then reduced to five years due to his age and to reflect “totality”.