11 hours ago
Resident called police after man seen showing off illegal stun gun in Hamilton street
John Jardine later claimed he thought the item he'd bought on a website was simply a powerful torch.
A worried resident called the police after a man was seen showing off an illegal stun gun in a Hamilton street.
John Jardine later claimed he thought the item he'd bought on a website was simply a powerful torch.
Jardine, 58, of Fleming Way, Hamilton, admitted having a prohibited weapon in Argyle Drive on April 15 last year.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard he and another man were seen standing outside a house around 9pm.
A witness heard them talking about a taser and Jardine was asked to operate it. A blue spark was seen coming from the device but it wasn't fired at anyone.
Jardine then left the area in a taxi.
Police officers were shown mobile phone footage of the incident and traced the accused to his home later that night.
He told them the stun gun was tucked behind the sofa in his living room. It looked like a torch and had that function as well as being a taser.
Jardine said he ordered the item online from the American online company Wish, thinking it was only a "strong" torch.
He added: "I just take it when I'm out walking the dog."
Defence solicitor Laura Kiernan told the court: "When it arrived at his home it was clear it was also a stun gun.
"It's accepted that he should have done something about it at that point, like hand it in to the police."
Sheriff John Speir called for background reports and an electronic tagging assessment and deferred sentence until next month.
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