A man who fired an imitation handgun at a group of terrified teenagers has been jailed for more than 10 years.

CCTV shows youths fleeing in terror after 29-year-old Peter Brown carried out the "despicable act" near a children's playground.

The footage, released by the Met, caught Brown suddenly stopping a car in front of four teenagers in Newham, east London.

The dark-coloured Citroen with blacked-out windows' back doors swing open and two handguns are brandished.

The young men scramble away with one so terrified he trips over his bike as their attackers are seen firing at them shortly after 6pm on August 25 2017.

Echo:

A member of the public called 999 after spotting the occupants of the car brandishing the guns again as theydrove off.

Detectives from The Met's anti-gang crime unit Trident arrested Brown after he was identified as the car driver in the CCTV.

Brown has been kept in custody after he was arrested at his home address in Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, on September 2 2017.

He pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He was also jailed for conning £1,400 two elderly women with an accomplice in a separate matter.

Brown was sentenced to 10 years and nine months for the charge on Friday.

Detective Constable Rob Jones, of Trident, said: "Although nobody was injured, brandishing a pistol at people causing them to fear they will be shot is a despicable act.

"This offence took place opposite a children's playground on a warm summer evening.

"Those who were threatened can be seen on CCTV running for their lives. Incidents like this cause fear in communities and are traumatic for all those who witness it.

"Detectives at Trident were determined to find who was responsible and Brown was quickly arrested. Thanks to the evidence gathered he had no option but to plead guilty. Possession of firearms, be they imitation or not, will not be taken lightly and punished accordingly by the courts."

Brown was also jailed for two counts of fraud by mis-representation after he and an accomplice conned two elderly women out of £1,400.

The court heard they distracted their victims at cash points and took their bank cards while the women went into the bank thinking they had been taken by the cash machine.

Brown received three months imprisonment for each offence to run concurrently.