Daily Record

I l le g a l t a s e r buyer facing prison

Man faces 5 years in jail after stun guns swoop

- BY VIC RODRICK

A TATTOOED gun nut is facing five years in jail after being found guilty of importing two stun guns “disguised” as torches.

Scott Anderson, 50, also known as Scott ForrestMcN­eill, was remanded in custody at the High Court in Livingston after being convicted of buying and possessing the illegal devices, also known as tasers.

After the verdict, it was revealed the dad of three had previously been found guilty of assault to the danger of life in 2007 and for drugs offences in 2014 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Anderson’s trial heard cops who raided his home in Kirkliston, West Lothian, in January 2018 found air rifles, a gas-powered pistol and the flashlight, which a cop recognised as an illegal stun gun.

The accused admitted buying an illegal stun gun between September 1 and December 1, 2017, and possessing a stun gun and a CO2 powered pistol on January 24, 2018, without certificat­es for any of the devices.

The jury also convicted him of buying and possessing the prohibited stun guns disguised as torches, which carries a mandatory five-year prison term.

The first “torch” the accused bought online for £10 was intercepte­d by Border Control at London’s Stansted Airport on December 1, 2017.

Anderson got a refund and ordered a replacemen­t but, by the time it was delivered, police in Scotland had obtained a warrant to search his home.

On Thursday, advocate depute Chris MacIntosh said the fact the weapon was disguised could “lull someone into a false sense of security”.

He reminded the jury that a senior police officer had given evidence he’d be afraid if confronted by someone with a stun gun, but if the weapon was disguised as a torch, he would be deprived of the opportunit­y to escape.

After the guilty verdicts, Anderson was remanded in custody for background reports and will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on January 7.

 ?? ?? GUILTY
Anderson imported stun guns disguised as “torches”
GUILTY Anderson imported stun guns disguised as “torches”

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