Man jailed after 
police found 
stun gun

Scott Ward, 22, was facing a mandatory five-year jail term for possessing a firearm but a judge jailed him for just two years after considering two recent Court of Appeal cases.

Bev Tait, prosecuting, said officers were called to Siddall Street, Sheffield, where Ward was living at the time with his partner and child.

The couple had an argument and the police had been called. As Ward was in the process of moving out officers were told by Ward’s partner about the stun gun which he kept in a drawer in the living room.

Sheffield Crown Court heard it had been disguised as a mobile phone but was active and had a charger. “It would give a non-lethal but painful shock if held against a body,” said Ms Tait.

Ward told police he had bought it from a “mate”, whom he refused to name, for £20 and said he did not know it was illegal. He had it for three weeks and kept it in the drawer.

He and his pal had “played around with it” but he had not used it, had no intention of doing so and would not have carried it around with him.

Ms Tait said Ward’s situation was aggravated because his partner and their young child had easy access to the gun in the living room.

Ward, who now lives at an address in Harborough Avenue, Manor, Sheffield, admitted possessing a prohibited weapon.

Nathan Moxon, defending, said there was no suggestion Ward would use the weapon to defend himself and a five-year jail term would be disproportionate for the offence.

“He cares for his daughter, offers financial support and does lots of jobs others turn their noses up at,” said Mr Moxon.

Judge Alan Goldsack, the Recorder of Sheffield, said two recent Appeal Court judgments allowed him to reduce the sentence for Ward.

He said the Taser-style gun stunned people with an electric shock and although not lethal was the type of weapon used by terrorists and courts had to set deterrent sentences.

But there were exceptional circumstances in his case which was similar to two cases successfully appealed last December.

He told Ward: “You are a young man from a good family and you take your personal responsibilities for your child seriously.

“You are a good worker and take whatever job is available and you also do useful work in the community.

I am satisfied I am not required to pass a minimum sentence of five years in this matter. But deterrent sentences must still be used to get these weapons out of circulation. If these items get into the wrong hands and are used there could be potentially serious albeit not fatal consequences.”

The judge ordered the confiscation of the weapon.