An Aberdeen man was today jailed for five years after being caught with two stun guns and a noxious spray.
Simon Warren pled guilty to having a stun gun torch and a pink lipstick stun gun and an aerosol canister in his possession at George Street, Aberdeen on November 2, 2019.
The 46-year-old former operations manager with an oil and gas company, also admitted importing the prohibited items from the Czech Republic and said they were for his protection.
At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Stacey told Warren: “You have had a spectacular fall from grace. You are fortunate you retain the support of your family.
“The law takes an extremely serious view of the offences you committed. There is a minimum sentence of five years, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Given you got these items to protect yourself that is not an exceptional circumstance.”
Warren, a dad-of two, has a previous conviction for possessing child porn and is on the sex offenders’ register.
The court heard that police raided Warren’s flat after receiving a tip-off and found the stun guns there, the noxious spray was in his car parked in the street outside.
Prosecutor Angela Gray said: “When the accused was interviewed by police he stated: ‘I’m not a violent man, take one look at me, I’m not a violent man, never have been. I’m a frightened man, but apart from that I’ve no comment.’”
She added: “He also volunteered that he was on the sex offenders’ register.”
The court heard that all three weapons were examined and found to be in working order.
Warren, of George Street, Aberdeen, was sentenced via video link.
Defence counsel Michael Anderson said: “He would not have bought the items if he had known there was a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment.”
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