A man was found with a stun gun in his house along with unlicensed live ammunition after police were tipped off he had an illegal weapon.
Paul Campbell, 47, of Derwent Avenue, was jailed for a year by Sheriff Lorna Drummond after he admitted possessing the electronic “Taser-type” defensive weapon at his home.
He further admitted that on May 13 at Derwent Avenue, he possessed ammunition without a firearms certificate.
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told the court that following information received, police attended at his house with a search warrant and after informing Campbell why they were there he told them: “It’s here.”
A pouch containing a stun gun was recovered by the officers.
The fiscal said: “The search also revealed a bag containing 35 live .22 cartridges for a long rifle and a plastic tub containing three live bulleted cartridges.
“The stun gun requires a permit from the secretary of state and they would normally be used by armed officers.”
A firearms report stated the stun gun was an electronic weapon, of east Asian origin, used for self defence, with a black moulded case and rechargeable batteries and was also a torch, in working order.
Ms Gillespie said when used in the open air it fired sparks and when pressed against flesh it emitted high voltage shocks designed to “temporarily incapacitate”.
When asked about the weapon and ammunition by police, Campbell had answered that he had been “caught bang to rights”, she said.
Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty said Campbell told police he bought the weapon at a car boot sale and found the ammunition while out fly fishing.
He said: “He’s aware this is a serious matter. There was a significant degree of naivety and stupidity on his part rather than anything nefarious.
“The article was found in open view in his house and was immediately handed to police.”
Sheriff Drummond jailed Campbell for a year and said: “These are charges so serious that the custodial threshold is passed.
“The question is whether there is any alternative to a prison sentence.
“My view is that the severity of these offences is such that the only realistic option is custody.”
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