A violent criminal has been jailed after he bought a pistol just ten days after being freed from prison.
An armed police response team were scrambled to Exmouth after Wayne Messenger was seen getting into taxi with the weapon in his rucksack.
The cab was intercepted and the air pistol found inside, along with a small amount of cannabis, Exeter Crown Court was told.
He had been released ten days earlier after serving half of an eight months sentence for a vicious biting attack on Exmouth seafront.
He celebrated his release with a binge on drugs and cheap sherry which only ended when he was arrested.
Messenger, aged 29, of Byron Way, Exmouth, admitted possession of a firearm while banned from doing so because of his criminal record and possession of a small amount of cannabis.
He was jailed for 20 months by Judge Mr Justice Burnett who told him:"You seem to think that rules that apply to everyone else so not apply to you.
"It was quite extraordinary to go out and buy a weapon within two weeks of being released. When you were arrested you had purchased this weapon very shortly before and also had pellets and ammunition.
"The reason why those sentenced to terms of imprisonment are prohibited from having weapons is to protect the public and reduce risk.
"You have a large number of convictions for all sorts of offences including the use of weapons such as a screw driver, a knuckle duster, a beer glass and so on."
Mr David Bowen, prosecuting, said police learned that Messenger had bought the Webley Nemesis air pistol in Exmouth and gone to a friend's house at Summer Close.
He said:"An armed response team was tasked to deal with him and they saw him get into a taxi and followed it for a short way before it was pulled over in Albion Street in Exmouth.
"He left the taxi, leaving a rucksack behind which was found to contain the pistol and three quarters of an ounce of cannabis.
"The weapon was examined by the force armourer and found to be a firearm within the definition of the act but not one which would require a licence. He had a tin of ammunition which was usable in it. It was a medium range air pistol."
He said Messenger, who will turn 30 this weekend, has 56 previous convictions and had been freed from an eight months sentence for assault causing actual bodily harm at the half way point on February 22 after serving four of eight months.
He has eight previous convictions for violence. They include a stabbing, the use of a screwdriver in a robbery and assaults involving a beer glass and a hot iron.
The assault which resulted in his last sentence was a mistaken identity attack on a stranger who he bit on the cheek.
Mr Gareth Evans, defending, said Messenger had bought the pistol as a present for a friend and intended to use it for target practice on cans and a dart board.
He said:"There is no suggestion he intended to use it as a weapon. The aggravating features are his record and his recent release from custody.
"His problem is the misuse of alcohol to massive excess and there is a reference to him drinking sherry in copious amounts from the moment he was released. He has longstanding problems with drink and drugs."
