SINGAPORE: John Liddiatt, aged 40, father-of-three ordered the device online while browsing collectible replica weapons. But Customs officers upon investigation found the replica iPhone and passed to the police.
Officers confirmed the device was a weapon and it was re-wrapped before being delivered to Liddiatt at his home address. The dad-of-three was immediately arrested and confessed he had ordered the device, but claimed he had no idea it would be real because of its cheap price.
Liddiatt, of Broad Walk, Knowle, Bristol, admitted one count of acquiring a disguised firearm at Bristol Crown Court and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for a year.
The black phone, which is in a cover, came with a charger and has two prongs in the bottom which act as pins for the stun gun. Sentencing, Judge Martin Picton told him: ‘It is a pretty poor imitation of an iPhone of some description in a box that is meant to look real.’
The court heard how weapon collector Liddiatt ordered the stun gun on December 5 2013 from a website he usually used to purchase replica items. George Threlfall, prosecuting, said: ‘On December 19 a package was sent from Singapore, addressed to Liddiatt at his home address.
‘It was intercepted by customs and officers opened it and revealed what they believed to be a stun gun device.
‘This was passed on to police and following examination, firearms officers who confirmed it was a stun gun with the appearance of a mobile phone.’
Police then re-packaged the device before an officer, dressed as a postman, delivered it to Liddiatt’s home. He told officers he was an avid collector of replica crossbows, swords and masks which had appeared in movies and did not realise it was an offence to import the stun gun. Jane Chamberlin, defending Liddiatt, said: ‘We have a defendant who has kept the item under the stairs and who volunteered it to police.
‘It was not going to be put out in the public domain.’
After the sentencing, Avon and Somerset police warned of the risks of importing illegal weapons over the internet. Investigating officer PC Chris Down ham said: ‘It is imperative that items bought from abroad and imported into this country are legal according to UK laws.
‘Stun guns like the ones seized in this case are prohibited and dangerous weapons capable of causing considerable harm. ‘It’s the responsibility of the buyer to ensure they are complying with the law before ordering items over the internet. ‘Liddiatt had tested the items when they arrived and was fully aware they were a viable working device.’
Liddiatt was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
