A MAN who had no money for his lunch tried to give a fish and chip shop a handgun in exchange for a meal, a court heard.
And Omar Mohammed Ali then tried to buy alcohol at a convenience store with the 0.45 calibre handgun.
Ali, 22, of Byron Avenue in Podsmead, admitted possession of an imitation firearm in a public place on August 29 last year.
Gloucester Crown Court heard he had gone to Podsmead fish and chip shop and appeared to try and swap the gun for food.
Prosecutor Julian Kesner said it was "a rather strange matter indeed".
He said: "It was around lunchtime and he went into the fish and chip shop and appeared to want to exchange or swap a handgun.
"The police were not called and at around 7pm he went into a Premier Convenience Store and asked for alcohol on credit.
"When refused, he went to the till and showed his waistband and then put the handgun on the shelf by the till, as if to offer it as payment.
"The cashier put it back on the counter and he put it back in his waistband."
Mr Kesner said he was later arrested and a search found two imitation handguns.
Ali will be sentenced at a later date in the same court.
