A DRUG addict who brandished a toy gun after feeling 'victimised' by a CCTV camera pointing towards his home, has been handed a community order.

Jason Goodenough grasped the plaything and waved it in front of shopping centre cameras he felt had been 'following' him near his Cowley home.

The 43-year-old claimed he launched his outburst after the 'unwarranted intrusion' from Templars Square Shopping Centre on January 21.

But Judge Ian Pringle QC told the defendant 'not to take the bait', adding: "The worst thing you did was to go and rattle on the door [of the security office]. Don't rise to that."

Goodenough, whose Upper Barr flat backs onto the shopping centre, had 'issues' with the cameras placed on the outside of the venue, Oxford Crown Court heard.

The defendant was spotted in the service yard with his dog by a security guard, who believed he was 'acting strangely' behind bins and decided to watch him at about 11pm.

Goodenough realised the guard was monitoring him and strolled up to the office door, rattling it during his attempt to enter and swearing at the staff member to come out.

The security guard then observed the defendant flee the scene and return to his home with his dog, prosecutor Cathy Olliver told the court on Thursday.

Goodenough later passed the camera a number of times, shinning a torch towards it to dazzle the security guard.

He went back to the office about half-an-hour later, attempting to 'remonstrate' with the security guard before banging on the windows and shouting.

The following day, the security guard spotted Goodenough with the plastic toy gun while looking back at the footage.

Goodenough revealed to interviewing officers he believed the cameras had been following him around the shopping centre for weeks.

He claimed he reported it to the police and a PCSO assured him it would stop but he became 'angrier and angrier'.

Goodenough, who must pay a victim surcharge, went on to tell officers he was clearing up dog mess when he was spotted behind the bins and later 'lost it'.

Defence barrister Lucy Tapper said Goodenough, who suffers from paranoia, was planning to move out of the area to escape camera surveillance.

She told the court it was his first offence in the past decade, adding: "It would appear there is intrusion. He has been subject to some victimisation to some degree.

"He is trying to go about his lawful everyday business. He is trying to live a quiet life with his dog."

Goodenough, who admitted having an imitation firearm in public, was handed a one-year community order, with a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

Judge Pringle also ordered the forfeiture of the toy gun.