Stun gun buyer arrested over ‘expensive mistake’

A court heard each of the prohibited weapons, which had been sent to the UK from China, was capable of discharging 50,000 volts.

Police arrested Steven Kenny over the matter and he was found in possession of two bags of the drug ketamine.

Kenny, of South Avenue, Horbury, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to purchasing a prohibited weapon and possession of a class C drug.

Leeds Crown Court heard staff at the UK Border Agency intercepted and x-rayed the package on May 22 last year after it was labelled ‘Self Defence High Voltage Electric Shock Stun Gun’.

After his arrest, Kenny told officers that he had only wanted to buy one stun gun but there was a problem with his computer when he was ordering it.

Kenny claimed his computer screen “froze” and he kept on pressing the order button, which resulted in multiple orders.

At a previous hearing in October last year, prosecutor David Lampitt said: “It could well be that it was an expensive mistake.” The court heard Kenny paid around £250 in total for the weapons.

The previous hearing was adjourned in order for bank statements and other financial information to be obtained before Kenny could be sentenced.

The Crown Prosecution Service was prepared to accept Kenny’s account as there was no evidence that he was someone who sold stun guns.

Jon Wilkinson, mitigating, said Kenny used his girlfriend’s credit card to pay for them. Judge Sally Cahill made Kenny the subject of a 12 month community order.

He was also ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work and fined £50.