Jailed: Man shot his friend in the head as he showed off his new gun

Liam Laban had bought an air gun from a garden centre before going round to his friend's home on High Street in Brownhills, beeping the horn of his car to alert to call him out before he begun shooting at him from his car window on March 31.

The friend ducked as it became apparent the lower part of his body was Laban's target and he was hit in the back of his head, prosecutor Mr Paul Spratt said.

Laban, who is 22 and of Mill Road in Brownhills, took his friend to hospital after he had shot him. The victim required three stitches to his head.

He was jailed for eight months at Wolverhampton Crown Court for what the judge slammed as his 'grossly irresponsible behaviour'.

Recorder Martin Hurst told Laban: "It was the last thing you should have done. The first thing you decided to do (was) show it to your friend. You pointed it out the window and you were firing it at the lower part of his body but he then ducked."

He added: "It only takes a second of thought to realise that if you fire it at someone, someone is going to get hurt. It could have blinded or even killed."

He was previously sent to a Young Offender Institution for a total of 12 months after an assault in July 2015. That also took place in Brownhills. He punched and kicked a person after a brief argument.

His offending had only started after the death of his father in 2014. His loss left him depressed and 'an angry individual at that time of his life', the court was told.

Representing Laban, Mr Paul Bell admitted he was in the 'last chance saloon' and would need the judge to forgive his 'idiocy' if he decided not to send him to jail immediately.

Mr Bell said: "On one level it is straightforward: it is an immediate custodial sentence. Bringing in his previously convictions, you have a simple decision.

"There is no doubt this was a serious offence and offences could have been a lot more serious but in my submission it could be categorised as immature behaviour, larking around."

Laban was jailed for eight months for causing grievous bodily harm without intent and handed a concurrent four month sentence for possessing a loaded air weapon.