Carlisle man involved in drugs bought stun gun for protection

Michael John Kenney, 27, is starting a five-year jail term after police found the banned item while executing a warrant at his city home.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson told Carlisle Crown Court how officers attended Kenney's address on January 25.

"They went into a bedroom of the premises which was helpfully labelled with the sign 'Michael' above the door," said Mr Rogerson. "When they went into the bedroom, they saw a digital safe on a bed."

This was opened and found to contain a Fox-810 electronic stun device. "It had integral rechargeable batteries and had the external general appearance of a torch," Mr Rogerson told the court.

However, forensic testing concluded the device was not operational, even after the batteries had been charged.

Kenney initially claimed not to know it was a prohibited weapon, saying he had bought it for £50 believing it was a torch.

Later, however, he spoke of buying it for "self-defence".

"There were dangerous criminals here to whom he owed £20,000," said Ian Hudson, defending, "having dealt in class A drugs in and around this area."

Kenney admitted possessing a disguised firearm without proper authority - an offence which triggered a minimum five-year jail term due to the item being classed as a prohibited weapon.

Mr Hudson suggested there were exceptional circumstances that would allow Judge James Adkin to reduce the ultimate sentence. Kenney was said to have an anti-social personality disorder, and was "contrite".

However, Mr Hudson conceded: "He has brought his bags (to court). He brought his bags last time. He knows he is going away.

"He knows he is going to face the music."

Judge James Adkin jailed Kenney, of Bowscale Close, Carlisle, concluding there were no exceptional circumstances which would allow him to reduce the minimum five-year prison term.

"He knew it was a weapon and what was it was designed for, and kept it as such," Judge Adkin said of Kenney.