A former soldier who caused people to take cover when he began firing a rifle on Great Yarmouth beach has been jailed for a string of offences. 

Albert Ciorvasi, 43, was drunk when he began shooting bottles as target practice. 

The former officer in the Romanian army was arrested when police swooped on the seafront on September 30 last year after other people on the sands reported hearing the crack of shots being fired.

Appearing in custody at Norwich Magistrates’ Court after being arrested in London when he failed to surrender for a previous hearing, he was sentenced after pleading guilty to eight offences. 

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Norwich Magistrates' Court was told Albert Ciorvasi had been undertaking target practiceNorwich Magistrates' Court was told Albert Ciorvasi had been undertaking target practice (Image: Newsquest)

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Rima Begum, prosecuting, said the ex-soldier had been drunk and slurring his speech when police found him putting a .22 air rifle with a telescopic sight, to shoot from distance, into a gun bag on the beach. 

Despite being on police bail for that offence he then embarked on a two-week crime spree including smashing the windows of a car on Marine Parade on October 10 before stealing a mobile phone accessory.

He stole a luxury watch and Apple Airpods from another car, a microwave from a property he broke into and items from Sainsbury’s.

Speaking through a Romanian interpreter, Ciorvasi, of Exmouth Road, Great Yarmouth,  who was unrepresented, said alcohol problems had seen him lose his job and relationships. 

“I started sabotaging myself,” he added. 

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Shocked beachgoers called police after hearing shots being firedShocked beachgoers called police after hearing shots being fired (Image: Newsquest)

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A previous hearing had been told he had moved to the UK in 2008 to become a strawberry picker after being dismissed from the army for drunkenness.

His offending came after he was sacked from his job at Gressingham Duck.

Magistrates jailed him for a total of eight weeks and ordered the destruction of the gun.

Police are set to seek a criminal behaviour order banning him from proximity to vehicles and property, the court was told.