PARTY-GOER Jason Croke decided to lark about with a gas powered airgun and ended up shooting his best friend in the head.

Today, after escaping a prison sentence for his actions, he made an appeal to people to stop treating the weapons as toys.

There has been a huge rise in airgun and BB gun attacks on Swindon's streets.

Many are carried out by young people shooting randomly at passing cars or pedestrians.

Swindon Crown Court heard that Croke was drunk when he got his hands on a .22 calibre air rifle at the party in Willows Avenue, Pinehurst.

The 24-year-old, of Cricklade Road, started pointing it at people, and friend Jonathon Linstead was shot in the head.

Croke admitted a charge of unlawful and malicious wounding at the party on June 24 last year.

Sentencing him to a community punishment and rehabilitation order, involving 80 hours' unpaid work, Judge Andrew Rutherford told him: "People who handle firearms and even air rifles, and do so negligently and injure people, can't really expect a great deal of sympathy.

"If it had been deliberate I think a custodial sentence would have been inevitable, but you pleaded guilty to recklessly doing so and the crown accepts that."

As he left court Croke said: "I think it was a fair sentence. I don't want to have anything to do with air rifles again, I'll leave them alone. I still see Jonathon around."

Prosecuting, Colin Meeke described how party-goers enjoyed a lot of drinks before Croke acquired the airgun.

"He started firing it at cans at the bottom of the garden," Mr Meeke said. "Then he started pointing it at people, saying 'I'm going to shoot you'.

"It's clear from Mr Linstead's statement this defendant was behaving stupidly, foolishly, was drunk and in, an irresponsible way, he seems to have pointed the rifle at people.

"As Mr Linstead was attending to a call of nature the defendant threatened to shoot that part of him and he jumped into a bush."

Mr Linstead was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon, before being removed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and the pellet was removed under general anaesthetic.

He has since reported pain in his right eye, numbness to his face and head, pain to his jaw when eating and bouts of anger.

He also told a doctor he has experienced "pressure build-up" in his head, was taking a number of pain killers, was suffering from nightmares and was not able to work.

In mitigation, Rob Ross said Croke had dealt with and overcome personal problems.

The judge ordered Croke to be supervised by a probation officer for 24 months, attend the Think First Programme, and pay prosecution costs of £120.

He told Croke: "Don't be so silly again, get yourself sorted out, leave air weapons alone and leave the drink alone."