June 27, 2019 4.42 pm This story is over 63 months old

Lincoln man jailed for importing illegal weapons

He bought a knuckleduster and two stunguns

A Lincoln man who imported illegal weapons from China was jailed for three years.

Paul Webster ordered a knuckleduster and two stunguns online and arranged them to be sent to his home in Lincoln.

But the packages were intercepted at customs by Border Agency staff and subsequent inquiries led to his prosecution.

Paul Mytton, prosecuting, said: “A parcel was intercepted addressed to the defendant and sent from Hong Kong. It contained a knuckleduster.

“On September 22 a batch of intercepted parcels from China contained one addressed to the defendant.

“When opened it contained two stunguns. Both of the stunguns could produce upwards of 8,000 volts.

“He was arrested at his home address and made admissions. He claimed he bought them out of curiosity and thought they were cheap and not real.”

Webster, 39, of Gibbeson Street, Lincoln, admitted charges of purchasing an illegal weapon and importing an illegal weapon.

Judge Simon Hirst told him: “These offences are plainly so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be passed.

“There is a need to deter other people from this sort of behaviour. There is plainly no innocent purpose for having any of these three weapons.”

George Wills, in mitigation, told the court: “The reason he bought the stunguns was one for himself and one for his mother to use in self defence.

“He is clearly someone who has difficulties. A lot of that comes from his consumption of alcohol and spice. He has issues with alcoholism, paranoia and depression.

“There is reference to him hearing voices. I suspect a lot of that comes from his alcohol misuse. He is somebody who clearly has a number of vulnerabilities that need addressing.”