Bus driver Paul Etheridge threatened a colleague with an imitation gun after his girlfriend left him.

Former Stagecoach employee Etheridge, 22, became jealous after his ex-girlfriend started seeing fellow bus driver Steven Teague.

Bicester magistrates heard yesterday how Etheridge moved to Oxford three years ago to be nearer his 17-year-old girlfriend.

But when he learnt that she was seeing Mr Teague after they broke up, Etheridge confronted Mr Teague at the Kidlington terminus.

Etheridge, who pleaded guilty to a charge of threat to kill, revealed the imitation Luger-style pistol from inside his coat and told Mr Teague he had ammunition for the gun.

Martin Foreman, prosecuting, said Etheridge became "extremely jealous" when his relationship came to an end.

"He confronted the other chap with what appeared to be a gun," he said.

"Mr Teague became very concerned for his safety at this stage. He tried to reassure the defendant there was no problem over this girl.

"The defendant said he had ammunition for the gun and was quite happy to go to jail if the need arose. Mr Teague was left in a great state of fear."

Graham Kinchin, defending, said it was "a classic case of a young man falling in love for the first time".

Mr Kinchin told the court that Etheridge confronted Mr Teague to "find out what the state of play was".

He said: "Regretfully, he went to the boot of his car and picked up the imitation firearm.

"He did not take the gun out of the jacket, he simply opened the jacket so that Mr Teague could see the gun."

Etheridge, now of Lily Close, Bedford, was given a combination order of 60 hours community service and 12 months probation.

Stagecoach declined to comment after the case.

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