A District Judge has heard from prosecutor Pam Ward how police were notified that a Penrith man had advertised what is known as a `stun-gun` for sale on a Facecbook page for £20.
Hristo Ivanov Bonew, 35, appeared at the North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon for discharge of an electrical incapacitation device on February 13 at Penrith.
District Judge Gerald Chalk was told by the prosecutor how police attended Musgrave Street, Penrith, the home address of Bonev, and he handed the stun-gun to them straight away, saying he was “not aware it was illegal in this country”.
Paul Tweddle in mitigation told the court that his client was visiting Bulgaria where he is from and bought the stun-gun there, where these are legally sold, he brought it through customs.
He had hoped the “crackling sound” of the gun would help train his dog and stop it barking, he was not going to use the “taser” part of the stun of the gun, he now had no-use for it, so openly advertised it for sale on Facebook.
The judge was told by Paul Tweddle that his client was very naive and foolish, but it was purchased legally in Bulgaria and he brought it into this country through customs, he had no other motive than to train his dog by the crackling sound only, the defendant is a hard working man and has worked in a dairy in West Cumbria and been in this country for over 5-years.
The judge told Bonev he agrees there was no sinister motive, but he [Bonev] must appreciate it is a weapon and can be quite dangerous, he was placed on a one-year Community Order to complete 60-hours of unpaid work, and he has to pay court costs of £170, and forfeiture of the stun-gun.
