A MAN who brandished a toy gun as he robbed three teenagers has been jailed for three-and- a-half years.

The victims, all about 16, were approached at about 10.30pm one night last April by Banares Hussain and Ibrar Hussain, in Victory Avenue, Paddock.

Prosecutor Abdul Iqbal said the boys were asked for a cigarette, but Banares Hussain, 27, then made threats towards the friends and told them to shut up or he would shoot them.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday how the boys saw what seemed to be a handgun in the back of Banares Hussain's trousers.

Both men searched the boys and each one had their mobile phone taken from them.

"Banares Hussain then took out the handgun from his trouser waistband," said Mr Iqbal.

"He pointed it towards the boys and said: `Do you want me to shoot you all?' "

Ibrar Hussain told him not to, because they were only children.

But Mr Iqbal said the boys were frightened and stayed where they were as the two men escaped with their phones.

The day after the robbery one of the boys was with his father in the Victory Avenue area when he saw Banares Hussain and the police were told.

Banares Hussain, a married man with children who lives in Victory Avenue, pleaded guilty to three offences of robbery and one of possessing an imitation firearm with intent.

Ibrar Hussain, 22, of Beech Street, Paddock, admitted the same three robbery charges.

But he said he did not know his accomplice had the imitation gun with him at the time they committed the offences.

He was jailed for 27 months.

Judge Roger Scott said neither man had substantial previous convictions.

But Banares Hussain's barrister, Colin Harvey, conceded that his client had stepped up from the lower divisions of crime.

"I'm told the gun was a toy,- a water pistol,"' said Judge Scott.

"But no-one knew it was a water pistol at the time." he added.