A gunman who wore a fake police uniform and fired blank rounds during an incident which forced the evacuation of nearby properties has been jailed for three years.
Hari Mann, who also pointed a handgun at a member of the public, was taken to the ground and arrested after being tasered in Braunstone Town, near Leicester, on June 4 last year.
A custody image of Hari Mann issued by police after he was jailed (Leicestershire Police/PA)
In a statement issued on Monday, Leicestershire Police said Mann – who admitted firearms offences and impersonating a police officer – was detained after an armed officer immediately realised that the 25-year-old was using an imitation weapon and that blanks were being fired.
Mann, of Lancaster Place, Leicester, was sentenced at the city’s Crown Court on Friday for six counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, one of modifying an imitation firearm, impersonating an officer and the assault of a nurse while in custody.
Officers were called to an area off The Glade after Mann drove a Mercedes Sprinter van to a pub car park shortly before 9.30am, before pointing a handgun at a member of the public.
Armed officers then confronted Mann and quickly detained him as he tried to run away.
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Due to concerns regarding the contents of the van, a cordon was put in place and several nearby properties were evacuated as a precaution while an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit carried out investigations at the scene.
Officers seized another firearm, a police-style uniform and handcuffs during a follow-up search, while a Ford Mustang and a Ford C-Max linked to Mann were located and found to contain sirens and blue light equipment.
Commenting on the inquiry, Detective Inspector Hazel Sandall said: “This was an incident that resulted in a fast-paced policing response and had a significant impact on the local community.
Items recovered after the arrest of Hari Mann (Leicestershire Police/PA)
“The first report to our control room was made at 9.57am and Mann was arrested at 10.15am. Thanks to the quick reactions of our call handlers and firearms officers, he was detained before he was able to cause physical harm to anyone.
“The items uncovered by officers as the investigation progressed were deeply concerning. While his weapon contained blank rounds, the fact he was still prepared to pull the trigger at armed officers makes me truly believe he wanted to cause fear of serious harm to the public and police.
“This is not something which we will tolerate and, as our officers and staff showed, we will take immediate action to ensure our communities remain protected and safe.”