Suffolk education centre 'gun threat' teacher sacked 3 October 2013 Last updated at 20:40 By Sally Chidzoy Home Affairs Correspondent, BBC East A teacher accused of taking a gun into a Suffolk classroom and holding it to a pupil's head has been sacked. The incident was reported to have taken place in March at a unit for children with behavioural problems, which cannot be identified for legal reasons. Suffolk County Council, which ran the unit, said appropriate disciplinary action had been taken. The teacher told the BBC he did "a silly thing" taking the unloaded antique weapon into the classroom. The unit was also for children who had been removed from mainstream schools because they had learning difficulties or emotional problems. Gun returned The teacher, who also cannot be identified, said he denied a witness account that he had threatened to shoot a child in the head. "Obviously, I broke safeguarding rules, but I took it in to show children during a lunch break," he said. Suffolk Police said the gun was later seized by them at the teacher's home and he was given "words of advice." The teacher said the 19th Century weapon was deactivated and it had been returned to him. After the investigation began the education centre was closed by the council. It emerged it was one of nine education centres used by the county which were not registered with the Department of Education and therefore they were not being inspected by Ofsted. The centres that remain open have been merged with the council's pupil referral units, which means they are now registered.