A security guard who found a stun gun on the ground while working at a caravan park later got himself into hot water with the police after he forgot to hand it in. Mark Dyer did not know what to do with the stun gun – but he got a nasty surprise when the police stopped him for motoring matters and found the weapon, Hull Crown Court heard.
Dyer, 51, of Alderson Court, Bridlington, admitted possessing a weapon, a stun gun, designed or adapted to discharge electricity, on March 5 last year. He originally denied the offence and was due to face a trial.
When the case returned to court, Judge John Thackray KC ruled that the offence was one of strict liability, meaning that what was in Dyer’s mind at the time was irrelevant and possession of the stun gun alone was enough to make him guilty of the matter. Immediately after the judge gave a ruling on the matter, Dyer entered a guilty plea.
The court heard that Dyer worked at the time as a security guard at the South Cliff caravan site in Bridlington. On the night of March 4 and 5 last year, Dyer was on duty when he found a stun gun lying on the ground.
He picked it up and examined it but he was uncertain what it was. It was, in fact, an item which was partly a torch and partly a stun gun.
He intended to hand in the gun when he returned to the site office but he forgot, the court heard. Later, after he had finished his shift, he was stopped by the police for a driving matter. He was found to be in possession of the stun gun.
Steven Garth, mitigating, said that, under the sentencing guidelines, the offence should attract a fine or a community order at the worst. Dyer had a good work record but he had now lost his job and his ability to work in the future as a security guard.
Mr Garth asked for Dyer’s plea of guilty to be taken into account. Dyer had accepted the judge’s ruling that it was an offence of strict liability. Judge Thackray said that he did not regard the case as more serious than Mr Garth had suggested. He added that Dyer was now of limited means and was on benefits since losing his job.
Dyer was fined £300, to be paid at the rate of £10 a week. He must pay a £120 victims’ surcharge.
Source – Hull Daily Mail
