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A train passenger carrying an illegal handgun has been jailed for five years after his dramatic arrest at Exeter St David's station.

Robert Tuck was ordered to lie on the floor of a platform by British Transport Police, after the drunken burglar revealed he had a gun in his pocket, Exeter Crown Court heard.

The 39-year-old, from Bristol, was carrying an illegal handgun, which was unloaded, and had tried to start a fight with a passenger.

Tuck pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm, possessing ammunition without a certificate, a public order offence and burglary. He also admitted these offences breached a conditional discharge he was given for carrying a hidden stun gun while shopping at a Bristol branch of Tesco.

Prosecutor James Taghdissian said Tuck burgled a woman's house in Truro, Cornwall, in June last year. He was then arrested while travelling on a Virgin cross-country train from Bristol to Cornwall, on Saturday October 31, pestering a passenger and suggesting, 'let's have a fight'.

Tuck was arrested on board and taken onto a platform at St David's station, around 5.45pm.

Mr Taghdissian said: "British Transport Police then asked if he had anything, to which he replied, 'I've got a gun in my pocket.'  It was a genuine handgun, but no firing pin, and it was unloaded. He was told to get into a prone position to be searched. He became verbally abusive to officers, shouting to passengers for help."

Police then found 36 rounds of ammunition in a search at his Bristol home.

He has 23 convictions, including violence, and told officers he found the gun six weeks before and was travelling to dump it in a quarry in Cornwall.

Defence counsel James Tucker said his client did not threaten anyone with the gun. Mr Tucker said: "He's taken to the floor on the platform and there's a bunch of football fans shouting and jeering at police. Police become nervous and restrain him and it's only at that point that he becomes agitated."

Judge David Tyzack QC said he did not entirely accept Tuck's explanation for his journey, when he could have dumped the gun nearer his home, but added there was no evidence to suggest a more sinister purpose.

Detective Constable Dean Jeffery, of British Transport Police, said after sentencing, that uniformed and plain-clothed officers regularly patrol the city's train stations and surrounding areas and have equipment to detect weapons.

Det Con Jeffery said: "The carrying of any weapon, let alone a gun, on the railway network will not be tolerated and those guilty of such offences will be brought to justice. I must add that this incident is a one-off, but the sentence given to Mr Tuck today should go out as a warning to those people who may think of travelling on the railway in possession of any type of weapon."

Gunman who threatened train passenger jailed

An armed man who threatened a passenger on a train with a gun has been jailed.
Robert Tuck, of Stapleton Road, Bristol, was arrested and disarmed by two British Transport Police (BTP) officers at Exeter St David's station.
Exeter Crown Court heard 36 rounds of ammunition were later recovered during a search of Tuck's house.
The 38-year-old, who pleaded guilty to firearms offences, a public order offence and a burglary, was jailed for five years.
Tuck was arrested after a guard on board the Newcastle to Penzance service alerted BTP and asked officers to meet the train at Exeter on 31 October last year.
When officers Daren Burns and Alan Freeman approached Tuck, he admitted he was carrying a gun.
He was arrested and handcuffed, the gun removed and assistance sought from Devon and Cornwall Police's firearms unit.
The handgun was later found to be genuine, but it had no firing pin and was unloaded.
Tuck claimed he had found the gun six weeks before the incident on the train and was travelling to dump it in a quarry in Cornwall.
Judge David Tyzack QC said he did not entirely accept Tuck's explanation for his journey, when he could have dumped the gun nearer his home, but added there was no evidence to suggest a more sinister purpose for him carrying the weapon.
Det Ch Insp John Sidebottom praised Pcs Burns and Freeman for their bravery and professionalism during the incident. He said: "The situation the officers found themselves in must have been quite alarming and obviously demanding. Thankfully, the firearm was not loaded but they were not to know this at the time."