A former prison officer imported 12 stun guns into the UK and tried to have them delivered to his mum’s Dundee home.
Maurice Thomson, 40, of Bruce Street, Hilltown, arranged for an unknown man in America to buy the stun guns, banned in this country, from Walmart supermarket, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
The man disguised the guns as torches then posted them to Thomson’s mum’s address at King Street, Broughty Ferry, but the parcel was intercepted in England by postal staff.
Fiscal depute John Malpass said: “The weapons were found within a package which was intercepted by Royal Mail staff on October 28 last year. They were disguised as torches.
“The package was addressed to the accused at an address in King Street, Broughty Ferry.
“Police received a search warrant for this property and the accused was found within, along with other witnesses.”
Solicitor Mike Short, defending, told the court Thomson claimed he did not know the guns were illegal, despite having previously worked as a prison officer in the UK for six years.
He added that Thomson was currently employed as a senior security consultant in India, a position he has held for 12 years.
Mr Short said: “Someone in his work in India had asked him to purchase these items and have them delivered to the UK then bring them to India on their behalf.
“He says parcels regularly get stolen or go missing in India so his work colleague thought this would be a more reliable way to receive the items than having them posted straight to India.
“He told me it’s common for women in India to carry small torches to protect them against mistreatment from men.
“And he said the government has recently introduced a small lightweight handgun designed to be carried by women for protection against rape.”
Thomson admitted that on October 28 last year, at Coventry International Postal Hub, Coventry, and King Street, Broughty Ferry, and elsewhere, he was knowingly concerned in an attempt to import goods banned under the Firearms Act, in that he did import 12 stun guns disguised as torches.
Sheriff Carmichael said: “This whole story strikes me as being slightly strange.” Sentence was deferred until August 10 for reports.
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