Reposted from BBC News

A man who threatened to kill his ex-partner with a World War One replica gun he stole from a museum has been jailed for four years.

Lee Rousseau, 48, took the replica Luger pistol after ripping the arm from a mannequin on display at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.

He then took it to his former partner's home, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Rousseau admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The court heard Rousseau, of Turner Avenue, Lincoln, removed the pistol from the mannequin's arm in the toilets of the museum in Lincoln on 14 March.

Prosecutor Gurdial Singh told the court Rousseau claimed "he shook the mannequin's hand and the arm fell off".

Mr Singh said after taking the gun Rousseau - who the court was told was obsessed with guns and was a regular visitor to the museum - went to the home of his ex-partner Cheryl Smith.

The court heard he was told to leave but started "kicking the front door and threatening to kill her" when she told him she was seeing somebody else.

"He appeared to make off and thrust a gun through the letter box," Mr Singh said.

"She was in the kitchen with her child. She saw the tip of the barrel."

The court heard Rousseau had 26 previous convictions for a total of 49 offenses.

In addition to the charge of possession of an imitation firearm, he admitted theft and criminal damage.

Rousseau also pleaded guilty to three charges of possession of a knife from an incident 10 days earlier.

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