A man was found by police with a toy gun which looked like a pistol used by James Bond, a court has heard.

Kamil Matkowski, 36, had been with friends in the Thetford area when they were spotted by police.

Norwich Magistrates' Court heard two of the men were recognised by police and officers went to speak to them.

Stephen Munton, prosecuting, said the officer saw Matkowski “fiddle with the waistband in his trousers”.

He then took the item from his trousers and “threw it to the floor”.

The officer saw the item thrown on the floor was a pistol.

Mr Munton said the defendant was “panicking”.

A second officer attended and the pistol, which appeared to be similar to a Walther PPK pistol, had no items within it capable of being fired.

He was arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm.

When interviewed the defendant said he did not realise a toy was illegal to carry.

Matkowski, of Norwich Road, Thetford, appeared in court on Monday (September 27) and, speaking through an interpreter, admitted possession of an imitation firearm in public on August 1 this year.

Kieran Dunphy, mitigating, said the imitation weapon was a James Bond-type gun.

He said the defendant had taken it from someone who had given it to him.

Mr Dunphy said Matkowski, who suffers from schizophrenia and was medicated, was out with some friends and said the weapon “which is like James Bond’s” was a toy gun.

He told magistrates the offence has had a "sobering" effect on the defendant.

He said: "I would be fairly confident you won't be seeing him in court again."

Matkowski was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

He was ordered to pay £145 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

Forfeiture and destruction of the weapon was also ordered by magistrates.