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A man blasted himself in the groin after picking up a friend's sawn-off shotgun to see what it was like to handle a weapon.

Michael Harris was injured when the gun went off accidentally.

He was found "doubled up" in pain outside Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The 37-year-old had pellets removed from his groin, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

But his suffering did not end there - because he was jailed for five years having previously admitted possessing a prohibited firearm.

Benjamin Williams, defending, had earlier asked the court to take his client's "suffering" into account.

Passing sentence, Judge Kristina Montomery QC told Harris that guns were a “blight upon this city” and went on: “It was, on any view, a determined attempt by you to involve yourself with a firearm.”

The judge said he had only been in possession of the gun for a short period of time but was well aware of what it was and it was a “serious and viable weapon.”

The judge said Harris had taken it “out of curiosity or simply to have the experience of handling it for yourself”.

Police were called to Oscott Road, Perry Barr, after a gunshot was heard at around 7.40am on May 12.

The gun was found beneath a parked van with two cartridges in it, one still live.

CCTV showed Harris arriving with another man in a car at the hospital.

The two got out and it was clear that Harris, who was “doubled up,” was in some difficulty.

He was left lying at the entrance and medical staff came out to attend to him.

Christopher Lester, prosecuting, said police arrested the defendant.

He said officers later searched his home in Oscott Road and found a shot gun cartridge in his bedroom.

Mr Williams said Harris had been drinking with others and had gone out to get more booze from a garage.

He met a friend who was standing by a car and holding something in his hand.

The defendant then took the item, a shotgun, out of a bag which then went off.