A mum-of -two who carried an imitation sub-machine gun in her car because of “problems with men” wept in a crown court dock as she escaped going to jail.

Mother-of-two Lucy Halladey, 40, of Little Oxhey Lane, used the gun to threaten “volatile” ex-partner Terry Sabine after she became “anxious” about other relationships he was having, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Gavin Cappa said an "upset" Halladey turned up at the holiday park in Essex where Mr Sabine was staying and that he didn't think the gun was real at first.

“She was pulling the trigger and nothing was happening," said Mr Cappa.

"He said Halladey stood outside his caravan and he went out to meet her. She shouted at him 'Come on then' and pulled out a bat which she swung and hit him on the arm.”

The court heard how Halliday also drove a car at Mr Sabine but it became stuck between two caravans at St Osyth Beach Holiday Park, Clacton, on December 12 last year,

Passing sentence today (June 20) Judge David Turner QC said he was taking an unusual course and not sending her straight to prison.

He described Halladay as “vulnerable” and someone who’d had distressing experiences growing up. He said he could impose a suspended term on account of her background and that she cared for her children and had herself received threats.

He said: “I'm not sure what you were thinking when you went to confront someone as volatile as Terry Sabine.

"You have been extremely unwise. You chose to become involved with Sabine in the hope of being loved and protected but instead were subjected to abuse.

"You were anxious about other relationships [he was having] and you decided to confront him. You took matters into your own hands and went there with a rounders bat and BB gun."

The court heard that Halladey told police afterwards she kept the imitation firearm under her car seat "because she has had problems with men in the past and she would have it there to protect herself."

The mother of two young children, who had been in an on-off relationship for three years with Mr Sabine, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 180 hours unpaid work and 50 days rehabilitation requirement.

She pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm, a BB version of a small sub-machine, with intent to cause fear of violence. She also pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, a rounders bat and to driving a Nissan car dangerously in the car park.