A MAN has been jailed after threatening staff at Basildon Train Station with a gun.

Mohammed Maow, of St Georges Court in London was jailed on Monday for 15 months following a series of incidents at train stations.

He had previously admitted two counts of possessing an imitation firearm, one count of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and one count of burglary.

On April 4 the 24-year-old had pulled a BB gun from his waistband and pointed it at staff at Basildon Train Station when they stopped him boarding a train without a ticket.

He immediately left the station.

A manhunt was launched with Maow on the run for six weeks.

On Saturday, April 28, he broke into a restricted area of West Ham Train Station and stole an iPad from the staff quarters.

On Saturday May 19, he used the help line at Laindon station.

He told staff at Laindon station help desk he wanted know the time of the first train and where he could get his bicycle fixed.

He boarded a train at Laindon and was witnessed pulling a gun from a drawstring bag but did not use it to threaten anyone.

He was recognised on CCTV and was arrested by armed officers.

He was carrying the same drawstring bag with the same BB gun inside.

Det Con Michael Stephenson, from British Transport Police, said: “Maow would have been in no doubt that the BB gun looked like the real thing.

“He was well aware of the fear and distress that pointing such a weapon at members of the public could cause.

“This is especially the case for the station staff, who quite understandably feared for their lives.

He now has ample opportunity to reflect on the consequences of his actions.”

He was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court.