AN experienced marksman who tried to shoot a womanfriend through her lounge window with a 2.2 air rifle has been jailed for five years.

Daniel Sayers (27) became angry and frustrated when Christine Goodall, of Ackender Road, Alton, ignored his phone calls.

After a drinking session he persuaded a friend to drive him to her house where he tried to get her to come outside. Hearing a noise she went down to her front room where Sayers could clearly see her outline.

He rested the gun on his friend's back, took aim and fired into the window of the downstairs room where the pellet left a hole just inches from her head.

Sayers then pointed the rifle at his terrified friend's car and tried to persuade him to provide an alibi.

A court at Winchester on December 6 heard that Sayers had started a telephone relationship with Miss Goodall which had lasted some months.

When she decided that she wanted to end it, Sayers felt rejected and angry and wanted to take revenge by shooting her.

Recorder Miss Miranda Robertshaw said:"You were convicted by a jury of two serious offences.

"The first was attempting to cause Miss Goodall really serious harm by firing your 2.2 air rifle and you intended she come to serious harm.

"Also possession of that air rifle with intent to make her think that violence would be used against her.

"You had made nuisance calls to her on that night in a pub and on previous occasions. Your relationship with her was unusual and complex.

"You had been friends but your relationship had been conducted by phone. You wanted it to go further but she did not.

"During the late evening of July first you were frustrated and angry. You persuaded your friend to drive to her house and by the time you got there you had loaded your gun.

"By the jury's verdict you were intending to use that weapon to frighten her and cause her serious harm.

"She went into her front room where her outline was clearly visible to you at night with the curtains open.

"You involved a completely innocent person. You had the rifle across your friend's back and leant on him to aim.

"He was terrified and had to look the other way.

"She was a clear target. You aimed and fired at her. The pellet went through the window but did not strike her. The hole was just inches from her head.

"You are an experienced marksman and you knew what you were doing and the dangers involved. You knew that you could have seriously maimed someone and caused a fatality." Referring to the friend, Miss Robertshaw continued: "After the offence you pointed the rifle at his car and tried to persuade him to provide you with a false alibi."

Sayers, of no fixed abode, appeared at Winchester Crown Court to be sentenced following his conviction at an earlier trial.

He was jailed for four years for attempted grievous bodily harm.

Sayers was sentenced to a further 12 months for intent to cause grievous bodily harm.