A MAN claimed he wanted to use stun guns illegally ordered from the States as ornaments for his Edinburgh flat.
Kaz MacDonald , 20, ordered three 10,000 volt ‘Cheetah’ stun-guns from an American firm for £150 earlier this year.
But he was the one who got a shock when police arrived at his door with a search warrant after officials had intercepted the weapons at a postal exchange.
MacDonald insisted he did not plan to take the guns out in public and said he had bought them to display as ornaments in his Edinburgh home.
But at Edinburgh Sheriff Court he admitted purchasing prohibited weapons after police gun experts confirmed they contravened the Firearms Act.
Fiscal depute Alasdair MacLeod told the court how a Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) employee came across the package at Mount Pleasant postal exchange in London on March 30 this year.
Mr MacLeod said: “He intercepted a package which was addressed to Kaz McDonald at a flat in Murrayburn Gardens, Edinburgh.
“The package had been sent from an address in Orlando, Florida.
“It contained three 2.5 ML Cheetah stun-guns and three business cards. The package itself was described as three compact flash lights valued at $20.”
Police
Mr MacLeod said after the customs officers realised they were dealing with weapons addressed to Scotland they contacted Lothian and Borders Police who sent officers to collect them.
And on April 9 this year officers raided the Murrayburn Gardens home MacDonald shared with his girlfriend.
Mr MacLeod said: “The accused was taken to Wester Hailes Police Station and interviewed under caution. During that interview the accused said he had ordered the stun-guns from an overseas address under the name flash lights.
“He said he had purchased them over the internet and that it was his belief that he was not committing an offence as long as he did not have them in a public place.
“He said he planned to keep them as ornaments.”
Ballistic
MacDonald also told police that he had used his own Visa card to pay £150 for the three weapons, which were later examined by police ballistics experts.
Mr MacLeod said the weapons team confirmed the stun-guns were prohibited and capable of around a 10,000 volt shock.
They also found that, although the guns each had some charge in them, they had not come with a charger.
Sheriff John Horsburgh QC deferred sentence on MacDonald – who is on licence following a 20 month jail sentence last January – until next month.
MacDonald was remanded in custody until then.
