An online shopper who tasered himself to “show off” after firing his weapon around 20 times at a friend and rival has been placed on a long-term deferred sentence.
Darren Petrie spent around £10 on the device from Chinese website Wish so he could electrocute his drunken pals with it.
A court heard he bought it to “show off” to his friends.
The court was told after shooting his drinking buddies, Petrie turned the taser on himself to see what it felt like – and was heard to shout out in agony.
He was warned he could still be imprisoned, even though the offence happened more than three years ago.
Prison warning
Solicitor Doug McConnell, defending, told Dundee Sheriff Court: “What you have is someone spending £10 on an inexpensive gadget online from a Chinese website.
“I’m aware that given the serious nature of the offence a custodial sentence would be high in the court’s mind.
“It was well-known at the time that you could buy these.
“The offence is particularly tied in with his problem with alcohol.
“He bought this to try and show off a little bit and now he finds himself in front of the court three years later.”
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael placed him on a structured deferred sentence until August and said: “These are serious offences and a custodial sentence is still a possibility.”
Stunning stupidity
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan said Petrie was initially seen brandishing the stun gun by “showing it off and laughing” at the Seagate Project in Dundee.
He said Petrie was with his friends when he produced the stun gun from his pocket and fired it in the air as they drank alcohol together.
Jamie Young told the accused another man – John West – had been picking on him and had taken alcohol from him.
“They attended Mr West’s room and Mr Young saw the accused repeatedly shock Mr West six to ten times,” Mr Duncan told the court.
“Mr West tried to get away from the accused and was shouting in pain.
“Another of Petrie’s friends began screaming for the accused to stop.
“They left the room and Mr West told staff.
“Mr West described how he had been Tasered ten times.
“The accused and his friend returned to the accused’s room.
“The accused began using the stun gun, striking Jamie Young on the calf five or six times and on the foot through his sock five or six times, causing him to feel a shock which made him jump.
“After this the accused then struck himself with the stun gun once on the leg, which caused him to shout out in pain.
“The stun gun was never recovered.”
Petrie, 35, from Dundee, admitted assaulting and injuring John West by repeatedly shocking him on the body on 11 April 2020.
He also admitted attacking and injuring Jamie Young by repeatedly shocking him on the body with the stun gun, as well as having the weapon.
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